khichuri

''Khichdi'' or ''khichri'' (, , , , Odia: ଖେଚୁଡି) is a dish in South Asian cuisine made of rice and lentils ('' dal'') with numerous variations. Variations include ''bajra'' and mung ''dal'' ''khichri''. In Indian culture, in several regions, especially in the northern areas, it is considered one of the first solid foods that babies eat. See ''MasterChef'' (American season 6)

''Khichri'' is a salty porridge. ''Dalia'' is another similar sweet porridge made from the crushed wheat or barley mixed with sugar and milk.

Etymology and spelling

The word ''Khichdī'' is derived from Sanskrit ', a dish of rice and legumes.

Some divergence of transliteration may be noted in the third consonant in the word ''khicṛī''. The sound is the retroflex flap , which is written in Hindi with the Devanagari letter ⟨⟩, and in Urdu script with the Perso-Arabic letter ⟨⟩. In Hindustani phonology, the etymological origin of the retroflex flap was when it occurred between vowels. Hence in Devanagari the letter ⟨⟩, representing , was adapted to write by adding a diacritic under it. In Urdu script, the phonological quality of the flap was represented by adapting the letter ⟨⟩, representing , with a diacritic added above it to indicate the retroflex quality. The occurrence of this consonant in the word has given rise to two alternative spellings in English: ''khichri'', which reflects its phonology, and ''khichdi'', which reflects its etymology.

History

The Greek king Seleucus during his campaign in India (305-303 BC), mentioned that rice with pulses is very popular among people of the Indian subcontinent. Strabo also notes that Indian food mainly consisted of rice porridge and a beverage made of rice, presently called Arak. The Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta mentions ''khichdi'' as a dish in India composed of rice and mung beans, during his stay around 1350. ''khichdi'' is described in the writings of Afanasiy Nikitin, a Russian adventurer who travelled to the Indian subcontinent in the 15th century. It 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'', which gives seven variations. There is an anecdotal story featuring Akbar, Birbal and khichdi.

The Anglo-Indian dish Kedgeree is thought to derive from khichri.Anne Chotzinoff Grossman and Lisa Grossman Thomas (1997) ''Lobscouse and Spotted Dog; Which It's a Gastronomic Companion to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels'', Norton, p. 12.

Regional variations

Khichdi is a very popular dish across the Indian subcontinent, including in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan also. The dish is widely prepared in many Indian states, such as Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Maharashtra. Vegetables such as cauliflower, potato, and green peas are commonly added.

Hindus, mainly from north/northwest, who avoid eating grains during fasting, eat Sabudana khichri made from sago.Sean Williams, 2015
"The Ethnomusicologists' Cookbook, Volume II: Complete Meals from around the world"
Routledge Taylor & Francis group, page 37.Uma Aggarwal, 2009
"The Exquisite World of Indian Cuisine"
Allied Publications, page 106. In the southern part of India, however, the word ''khichri'' is not that popular. While people of Tamil Nadu and Andhra regions cook ''Pongal,'' and Kannadigas prepare ' which is mung dal khichdi and '','' a pigeon pea variation with vegetables, Keralites have no similar dish.

Khichdi was the inspiration for Anglo-Indian kedgeree and was said to be related to the Egyptian koshary, though the latter has more Italian influence.

''Khichdi'' is a popular traditional staple in Haryana, specially in the rural areas. ''Haryanvi khichdi'' is made from pearl millet and mung ''dal'' (split mung bean) pounded in mortar (''unkhal''), and often eaten by mixing with warm ''ghee'' or '' lassi'', or even yogurt.1990
"Haryana District Gazetteers: Sonipat"
Government of Haryana publication, Page 83.
1912
"Haryana District Gazetteers: Delhi district gazetteer"
Government of India Gazetteers Organisation, Page 90.1987
"Haryana District Gazetteers: Hisar"
Government of Haryana publication, Page 65.Charmaine O' Brien, 2013
"The Penguin Food Guide to India"
Penguin Books Penguin Books. Sometimes, ''jowar'' is also mixed with ''bajra'' and ''mung dal''. ''Khichri'' is salty and ''dalia'' is another similar sweet porridge made from the crushed wheat or barley mixed with sugar and milk.

The Hyderabadi Muslim community, of the erstwhile Hyderabad State, in present-day Telangana, Marathwada, and Kalyana-Karnataka regions, make ''khichdi'' as a common breakfast dish, and is an important part of Hyderabadi cuisine. The dish is called ''khichri'', ''kheema'', ''khatta'', or other switch-around versions of the previous, named after the three parts of the meal, ''Khichri'', ground beef, and a sour sauce, made of tamarind and sesame.

'' Khichra'' is similar to '' haleem'', a meat dish, while ''khichri'' is a vegetarian dish with rice and pulses or lentils, with no spices.

National dish controversy

In 2017, Indian media unofficially designated it as the "national dish", as it is being globally promoted by the government of India as "queen of all foods". The report that the government may designate ''khichri'' as India's "national dish" brought significant ridicule from the opposition politicians.

However, India's Minister of Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal clarified that while ''Khichdi'' is considered nutritious and healthy food in India, the government did not have any plans to designate a national food.

In popular culture

''Khichdi'' has lent its name to media synonymous with ensembles or potpourri as depicted in the popular culture through movies such as '' Khichdi: The Movie'', and TV sitcoms such as '' Khichdi (franchise), Khichdi (TV series)'', and '' Instant Khichdi''.

The dish has been cooked at both MasterChef Australia and America.

See also

* Congee, a type of rice porridge eaten in many Asian countries
* Koshari

References

{{Lentil dishes

Indian rice dishes
Lentil dishes
Pakistani rice dishes
Vegetarian dishes of India
South Asian cuisine
Indo-Caribbean cuisine
Fijian cuisine