Oats Khichdi with Methi | Indian Risotto with Oats, Lentils and Fenugreek Leaves

Oats Khichdi with Methi is a nutritious, filling and healthy one-pot khichdi (risotto-like dish) with mild aromatic spices and fresh, green fenugreek leaves in a simple oats and lentils (split yellow mung bean dal) mixture.  Pair it with some simple yogurt, raita or any simple salad for a complete healthy meal.

Recently, Indian chefs achieved a major world record by cooking about 918 Kg of Khichdi in one go during a World Food India event in November 2017! The ultimate goal was to promote khichdi as a super food in India as it has all the nutrients needed for a complete meal: rice, cereal, pulses and vegetables with some mild spices.

Khichdi is prepared as a traditional quick and healthy dish all over India with mild variations; like in the southern part of India, specifically in the state of Tamilnadu, we have ven pongal (rice-lentil risotto). Every home has their own way of making this super food.

To reduce the carbohydrates (carb-free) and increase the nutrition, I have used oats, another super food with its myriad of health benefits. I love to use oats in many of my dishes like oats and dates kheer, oats and raisins cookies etc.

Today, I have used fresh fenugreek leaves, a winter leafy green, to add flavor to my khichdi. Fenugreek leaves have this unique aroma and taste that I love! You can omit this or use it along with any other vegetable or a mixture of vegetables like potatoes, carrots, peas, cauliflower etc.

Saute chopped fenugreek leaves in a simple tempering of mild spices in ghee, stir in lentils and oats and pressure cook or cook in a saucepan until all the water is absorbed and cooked. Serve hot and filling oats khichdi with more dollops of fresh ghee!

Do try out this simple and quick one-pot oats khichdi with fresh greens and enjoy  a super healthy dish for a quick meal. Want to make it vegan, omit the ghee and use just oil.

For more similar oats dishes, try:

Oats Bisibelebhaat

Healthy Oatmeal Date Cookies

Dates and Oats Payasam/Kheer

Step-by-step method to make Oats Khichdi with Methi Leaves:

Clean and wash moong dal thoroughly and drain, keep aside.

Pick the methi leaves, wash well in plenty of water and drain. Finely chop and keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee in a large pressure cooker and once hot, add jeera, cinnamon and bay leaf.

Sauté for a few seconds and then tip in the chopped onions. Fry on medium heat until the onions are translucent.

Stir in ginger, green chillies, few curry leaves and fry again for a few seconds.

Add the chopped methi leaves along with a little salt and fry on medium heat until the leaves have wilted and reduce in size.

Stir in turmeric powder, hing, peanuts and tomatoes and fry again for a few seconds.

Tip in the drained moong dal along with oats and fry on medium heat for a few minutes until the spices are coated well and the dal and oats are sautéed a little.

Add 2 to 2 ½ cups water along with salt to taste and mix well.

Close the lid of the pressure pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on medium low after the first whistle.

Let the pressure drop on its own and once you are able to remove the lid of the pan, prepare the tempering.

Heat 1 tbsp ghee or oil and add mustard seeds, peanuts,  hing and curry leaves. Sauté on medium low until the peanuts are crisp and fried.

Stir the tempering into the khichdi and serve hot with additional ghee for topping. Khichdi tastes good with a side of your favorite raita or just plain potato chips and a fresh salad!

Enjoy!!

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Oats Khichdi with Methi | Indian Risotto with Oats, Lentils and Fenugreek Leaves

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serving Size: 3

Healthy, filling and carb-free one-pot dish with oats, lentils and fresh leafy fenugreek leaves steeped in mild aromatic spices; perfect quick meal in a bowl!

Ingredients

• ½ cup oats
• ½ cup moong dal
• 3 small bunches methi or fenugreek leaves
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 2 tbsp peanuts (optional)
• 1 to 2 green chillies/jalapeno, chopped or slit
• 1 inch piece ginger, grated
• 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
• ½ tsp hing/asafetida
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 inch piece cinnamons stick
• 1 small bay leaf
• Few curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil plus 1 tbsp ghee/clarified butter
For tempering:
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tbsp peanuts (optional)
• ¼ tsp hing/asafetida
• 1 tbsp oil/ghee
For serving:
• 2 to 3 tbsp ghee/clarified butter
• Lemon wedges

Instructions

1. Clean and wash moong dal thoroughly and drain, keep aside.
2. Pick the methi leaves, wash well in plenty of water and drain. Finely chop and keep aside.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee in a large pressure cooker and once hot, add jeera, cinnamon and bay leaf.
4. Sauté for a few seconds and then tip in the chopped onions. Fry on medium heat until the onions are translucent.
5. Stir in ginger, green chillies, few curry leaves and fry again for a few seconds.
6. Add the chopped methi leaves along with a little salt and fry on medium heat until the leaves have wilted and reduce in size.
7. Stir in turmeric powder, hing, peanuts and tomatoes and fry again for a few seconds.
8. Tip in the drained moong dal along with oats and fry on medium heat for a few minutes until the spices are coated well and the dal and oats are sautéed a little.
9. Add 2 to 2 ½ cups water along with salt to taste and mix well.
10. Close the lid of the pressure pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on medium low after the first whistle.
11. Let the pressure drop on its own and once you are able to remove the lid of the pan, prepare the tempering.
12. Heat 1 tbsp ghee or oil and add mustard seeds, peanuts, hing and curry leaves. Sauté on medium low until the peanuts are crisp and fried.
13. Stir the tempering into the khichdi and serve hot with additional ghee for topping. Khichdi tastes good with a side of your favorite raita or just plain potato chips and a fresh salad!

Notes

Oats can be substituted with any kind of rice.

Play around with the spices and vegetables to savor a different flavor of khichdi every time!

This khichdi thickens as it cools, so adjust consistency accordingly by adding water and giving it a simple boil before serving

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