Tomato Saar & Salichi Moog Dal Khichdi

The picture tells you when this meal was cooked, oh the karanji is such an obvious clue. This is a fantastic combo meal for cold weather.

These are my Mom's recipes. A saar is watery curry on the lines of clear soup. You understand how we crave for something really simple and comforting when you want to give the tummy a break and when there is a chill in the air. I make Tomato saar and Khichdi/ Khimti. I'm making it again today as am down with fever and have lost my appetite. Eating out twice a week has its payout.

The Salichi Moog Dal Khichdi is not as complex as the name sounds. It is a creamy rice like a risotto but what makes it special is the split moog dal which has its green skin on. On this day I had made it plain just with salt but sometimes I just added an onion, tomato, potato or any leftover vegetable some chili powder to get a Tikhat khichdi or spicy one.

One thing I remember about my childhood. After the paddy harvest, my grandparents sent us broken rice along with the whole grain. We call it Kani. That was most times used for all rice recipes where you required to keep a creamy consistency. It yeilds a completely different taste and texture. I used to love it in the Shraddha chi kheer (made on the 13th day ceremony after death) and the khichdi. I also remember eating Yelnicha Dhaan with the broken rice at my Mama's (maternal uncle) home. It turns out so fluffy. Kani for this khichdi would have been ideal.

Hope you like the saar and khichdi.

Ingredients

For Tomato Saar

4 tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2-3 cloves
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
2 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
salt to taste
a small piece of jaggery

Blanch the tomatoes. Deskin and puree them.

Heat a saucepan. Add oil and season with cumin seeds. Add the asafoetida, cloves, red chili powder, turmeric powder and sprinkle a bit of water on the seasoning to stop from charring. Now mix in the tomato puree, salt and jaggery and let it boil for 5-8 mins.


For Salichi Moog Dal Khichdi

1/4 cup split moog dal with skin
1 cup short grain rice (sona masuri)
1 teaspoon oil/ ghee

Meanwhile wash the the dal and rice and put it in the cooker. Add 5 cups water and allow 5 long whistles. Let the cooker cool completely before removing the lid. Open and mash with the back of a spoon to get a creamy consistency.

Serve hot with pickle and papad.

You can also try Kokum Saar with Khimti.