I have this tendency of feeling home-sick rather fast, & the first thing I start missing is the comfort of home made food. When you start craving for the bowl of rice or rotis, even a warm bowl of pasta or the most delicious slice of pizza can satisfy those cravings.

• 1 cup rice - any variety
• 1 cup Masoor Dal/Red Lentils
• 1 onion - finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes - chopped
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1/2 cup french beans - chopped
• 1 carrot - diced
• 1 potato - diced
• 1 green bell pepper - diced
• A handful of green peas - fresh/frozen
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 3 green chillies
• 2 pods of garlic
• A small piece of ginger - grated
• A handful of curry leaves
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt as per taste
• 2 tsp Desi Ghee/clarified butter ( substitute with vegetable/sunflower oil )
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• A Pinch of garam Masala
• A handful of chopped cilantro - for garnishing

Method:

• Heat ghee/oil in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add cumin seeds, once they crackle, add green chillies, curry leaves, garlic pods, grated ginger & saute for about 10 secs
• Add chopped onions & turmeric powder & saute till onions are browned.
• Add chopped tomatoes & potatoes & saute for a minute.
• Add rice & dal & add enough water to cook. Add salt & close the lid. Keep stirring in at regular intervals.
• When it is half done, throw in the rest of the vegetables & add some more water & red chilli powder.
• Let it cook on medium flame, Keep adding water as per requirement.
• Keep stirring at regular intervals till the rice & lentils are completely cooked. They should have a semi-solid consistence.
• Adjust salt, add lemon juice & Garam Masala & garnish with chopped cilantro.

Drizzle some desi Ghee on top (highly recommended) & Serve HOT with some fresh yogurt/pickle/Papad. Enjoi !!!

We devoured ours with some spicy mango pickle. My Dad makes the best kichuri ever, & it did rekindle those fond memories when he served us bowls of kichuri filled with warmth & love & ofcourse I did put a soothing end to our cravings.

• I like my kichuri rather runny so I add more water. If you do not want it to be runny, reduce the quantity of water.
• I you feel the dish has turned out rather thick, Add some more water & heat it up. This dish is rather forgiving that way .
• You can prepare this with a pressure cooker too. If you are a little short on time or rather busy with things, use a pressure cooker. I personally prefer the stove top method. Watching the kichuri cooking up & the fragrance the emanates from the pot is pure bliss.
• You can vary the proportion of Rice:Dal. You can either make it 1:2 or 2:1. Its entirely up to you.
• You can pretty much use any combination of vegetables. If you are a little short on vegetables, this tastes great with only onions & tomatoes too.