Desi comfort

Food AuthenticPackaging GoodCost ReasonableVerdict 154Late on Sunday night a friend from Delhi asked for the recipe of my dhaba style khichdi Monday morning the craving set in mdash except that I was in no mood to cook havent we all been doing just that for what seems like an eternity now So we decided to order in a comforting treat We have been reading a lot on nocontact delivery restaurants in general and the menu of Khichdi Experiment seemed interesting They had a host of regional and nonveg options too The food was delivered in under 40 minutes and the packaging mdash though not all ecofriendly mdash was well done with handwritten descriptions The food was dropped off on a sanitised table in our building lobby and thereafter picked up by usBengali panch phoronOur first choice mdash the Murg dalcha khichdi R230 mdash seemed like an interesting spin on homecooked dalcha and rice Thankfully the flavours were mild and not overpowered with garam masala Having said that we have also tasted better dalcha in the past The dish comes with papad achar and a tamarind goli that we took a liking toIf you cant decide which khichdis to try the experiment box R190 lets you select three vegetarian khichdis along with papad and achar The portions are decent We tried the palak paneer tadkewali dal and the veg masala khichdi mdash all of which were light wholesome and nourishing Who would have imagined khichdis can be so diverse and delicious thanks to a simple addition of flavours ingredients and aromas The tadkewali one was similar to our homestyle version so there was a sense of familiarity as we tucked inGur delightWe wanted to try a regional one and so ordered the Bengali panch phoron R160 as well Its a simple khichdi with subtle hints of the famed Bengali fivespice mix The texture and consistency were smooth and not overcooked or mushy which can be the dealbreaker As an accompaniment we called for the tandoori kathal R140 While it had the tandoori masala and was succulent it lacked the smokiness of a tandoori dishThe star of the meal was the gur delight R60 This meltinthemouth jaggery baked yoghurt was the perfect way to end a comforting mealMurg dalcha khichdiLog on to Khichdi Experiment on Zomato or SwiggyMoong dal khichdi with veggiesIngredients 12 cup short grained rice pound12 cup moong dal or split green gram Mixed veggies carrots fresh peas potatoes chopped into frac14 inch pieces pound1 cup red onion sliced thin pound6 cloves garlic pound12 inch ginger pound2 dried red chillies 1 fresh green chilli pound1 tsp mustard seeds pound1 tsp cumin seeds pound12 tsp fennel seeds pound2 bay leaves pound1 tsp turmeric powder poundSalt to taste pound1 tsp gheeclarified butter 1 tbsp vegetable oil pound2 cups water pound2 tbsp chopped cilantro for garnishing on topMethodStart by dry roasting the moong dal or lentil in a pan on low heat for three to four minutes till its lightly browned and smells nutty Remove and set aside Wash and keep the rice ready Pound the ginger garlic and green chilli together Next heat the oil in a deep pot add the bay leaves and gingergarlicchilli paste and sauteacute for 30 seconds Add the onion and sauteacute till translucent Next add the vegetables turmeric powder and salt and let the veggies cook for four minutes on a low flame Add the roasted lentil or dal and give it a good stir Add the rice Pour almost double the amount of water Add salt accordingly Cover with a lid and cook it on medium high for almost 25 minutes till the rice and lentils are cooked and slightly mushy Remove from the flame For the final touch in a small wok or tadka pan add ghee Once hot add dried red chilli mustard cumin and fennel seeds and let them pop Pour over the khichdi and cover to trap the aroma in it Garnish with chopped cilantro Rest for five minutes stir well and serveBy chef Swayampurna Mishra44 Exceptional 34 Excellent 24 very Good 14 Good 054 Average Khichdi Experiment didnt know it was us The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for mealsCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates