Daliya Khichdi

Ingredients
1 cup cracked wheat ...Daliya
1/2 cup split green moong dal
1-1/2 cup chopped veggies of your choice (carrots, peas, cauliflower, potatoes)
1 small onion diced
1 tsp garam masala

1/3 tsp chili powder
salt to taste

To be ground into a paste
4 green chilies
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 inch piece of ginger


For tempering:
1 tsp mustard seeds...or jeera
1/3 tsp turmeric
a pinch of asafoetida
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves

A closer look at how the cracked wheat looks like:

1. Wash and soak the cracked wheat and moong dal for 1/2 an hour before cooking.

2. Heat oil in a cooker, add the mustard seeds...or jeera and when they crackle, add the ingredients for tempering.

3. Add the cracked wheat and saute it for 5-7 minutes till it turns golden brown and then add all the veggies and the onion and saute it till 5-10 minutes.

4. Add the ground paste, garam masala and salt.

5. Add 1 cup of water and let it cook for another 10 minutes.

6. Add the moong dal and 3-1/2 more cups of water (the cracked wheat swells a lot, so you need lots of water) and cook it for 3 whistles. The consistency should be semi-solid (simply put it will be a "lachko" or "sarsarit" khichdi). At this point turn off the gas and let it cool for 15 minutes.

This is what a semi-solid khichdi should look like.

7. Serve hot garnished with coriander and a dollop of ghee or with any raita or lassi(salty)