The word khichdi, comes from a Sanskrit word “khicca,” meaning a rice and pulses based dish.

 

Seleucus Nicator, a Greek ambassador (358 BC–281 BC), records the popularity of this rice and pulses meal in South Asia.During the Mughal dynasty (1400—1700), the traditional khichdi went through various adaptations. They made it rich by adding strong spices, dry fruits and nuts.

 

During Aurangzeb period, they developed a 'Khichri Alamgiri' named after Aurangzeb himself.French traveler, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, who came to India six times during 1640–1685, mentions that khichdi was prepared with green lentils, rice and butter and that it was a typical peasant evening meal. 

 

During the British colonial rule (1858— 1947), the khichdi recipe was modified to suit the Anglo Indian palate, by adding fish and eggs to the ingredients. Kedgeree, as it was called, became popular during the British era as a staple breakfast food. It soon spread outside India to the UK during the reign of Queen Victoria.

 

An alternative view is that the dish originated from Scotland and was taken to India by Scottish troops during the British Raj, where it was adapted and adopted as part of Indian cuisine.

 

Khichri was very popular with the Mughals, especially Jahangir. Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th century document, written by Mughal Emperor, Akbar’s vizier, Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak, mentions the recipe for khichdi, with seven variations called Zard birinj, Khushkah, Khichri, Shirbirinj, Thuli, Chikhi and Badinjan. There is also a famour Akbar-Birbal khichdi story called ‘Cooking the Khichdi’.

 

Popular Khichdi Recipes

• Masala Khichdi: This is a spicy khichdi where spices are used in generous amounts for the preparation of the khichdi.

 

• Kheema Ki Khichdi: This is a delicious khichdi recipe which blends the goodness of rice, lentils and red meat.

 

• Moong Daal Khichdi: This is known as the dish to sooth the hungry souls. The wonderful hues of yellow and aroma of spices make it worth trying.

 

• Bengali Khichdi: This is a healthy dish from Bengal, which packs in appreciable amounts of iron in one serving itself. In Bengali tradition it is customary to cook khichuri on rainy days. It is also traditional in Bengal to cook khichuri for lunch at the Saraswati Puja during the month of February—the invocation of the goddess of learning—and for other popular pujas such as Durga Puja. In Bengal, cooks and homemakers often prepare this dish with many ingredients mixed with it. That is one of the reasons the idiom joga khichuri is used in Bangla to mean a mess.

 

• Kolambi Khichdi: This is a rich rice dish enjoyed by the people of Maharashtra where the khichdi is prepared using the prawn, coconut milk and rice.

 

• Sabudana Khichdi: This is a popular tapioca pudding from Maharashtra, where instead of rice and lentils tapioca pearls and groundnut are used in the preparation of the dish. Apna Sweets in indore, right next to ghamandi lassi, Sapna sangeet road, is famous for sabudana (pearl sago) khichdi.

 

• Rajasthani Bajre Ki Kichidi: Bajra is coarsely crushed to make a porridge like khichdi that is eaten with a dollop of ghee or sesame oil in the cold desert winters.

 

• Pista-badam ki khichri is a forgotten Delicacy of Mahmudabad. 

 

There’s a saying that goes like this, ‘Khichadi ke char yaar - ghee, pappad, dahi, achaar’, and it’s so true!