'Khechier'

(E-Rice and Green Gram Cooked with Mustard Oil and Spices) (H-'Khichdi')

'Khechier' is a nutritious dish containing carbohydrates, proteins, fats etc. in an almost balanced form. It is delicious to eat and easy to cook in a short time. Although it is very well relished with fried or roasted Meat, 'Koftas' or 'Kababs'. yet it can be enjoyed equally with some Pickles or Curd or raw Radish slices, as well. It is now and then cooked in Kashmiri houses, in place of Plain Cooked Rice. On the 'Amavasi' of the winter month of 'Posh', called 'Yakhsha Amavas', it is cooked in all Kashmiri Pandit families in the evening, as a 'Naiveid' for 'Puja'. In fact the day is popularly called 'Khechieri-Mavas' and people eagerly look forward to that evening to enjoy this Dish.

Ingredients

1. Rice	1 Kg
2. Green Gram	250 gm
3. Mustard Oil	1 cup
4. Turmeric	1 tsp
5. Dry Ginger Powder	1 tsp
6. Dry Aniseed Powder	1 tsp
7. Red Chilli Powder	1 tsp
8. Caraway Seeds	1 tsp
9. Asafoetida	a pinch
10. 'Garam Masala'	1/2 tsp
11. Salt to taste	2 to 3 tsps

Preparation

Clean the Rice and Green Gram. Mix and wash it in two or three waters. Add twice the volume, (about 2.5 litres) of water to it, in a thick bottomed 'Patila' or 'Degchi' of 4 litres capacity or more, and let it soak for 2 to 3 hours before cooking. It is better to soak Rice and Green Gram separately, Rice for 2 hours and Green Gram for three hours. Total water used for soaking and cooking should be same as said above.

Method of Cooking

Add all the remaining Ingredients (Item 3 to 11 ) to the soaked Rice and Green Gram along with the water in which these were kept soaking. Mix well by stirring with a ladle. Let boil on a full flame. Occasionally stir the contents, so that no caking takes place at the bottom of the 'Patila', and the Rice and Green Gram cook uniformly. When almost all water gets absorbed, and the grains get almost done to the core, cover the 'Patila' with a fitting lid. Reduce the heat so that the Rice and Gram are now steam cooked slowly, and get puffed. If the bottom of the 'Patila' is not thick it is advisable to place a Griddle (H-'Tava') between the flame and the bottom of the cooking pot, to avoid caking, and also for slow steam cooking. Place also a weight on the lid to stop the free escape of Steam. This helps in proper steam cooking. The grains should not stick to each other and yet should be soft and well cooked. Subject to the availability, one can add a few chopped Green Chillies along with the Spices. The time in cooking can he saved by pressure cooking. The above quantity is sufficient to serve about 10 persons. Always serve hot.

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