Celebrating the queen of Indian food

In the catwalk of food and cuisines, various claimants and contestants have walked up the ramp. Interestingly, the humble and wholesome Khichdi has nearly won the hearts of most, and the pride of place to carry the sash of ‘the queen of Indian Foods’

The word ‘Khichdi’ brings to the mind a mixture, hotchpotch, and melange. This is something very familiar, yet often breeds consent and comfort. An inexpensive dish prepared using rice, pulses, coarse cereals and spices,

Khichdi is tremendously satisfying and gentle for the belly. The first complementary food that I recall giving my children was watery Khichdi that was strained. This made it into a sumptuous, filling, wholesome meal for the little baby. Likewise, many elderly prefer this as a staple that is gentle, healthy and easy to digest.

Khichdi, called by different names such as Pongal, is also a contributor to national integration. It is eaten across the country, over time and across geography, too. Reference to Krusaranna, a form of Khichdi with sesame seeds, is apparently mentioned in the second century text, the Kamika Agama. Similar references to Khichdi are found in the travelogues of a 13th century Moroccan traveller. Pongal of Tamil Nadu, in both the sweet and salted variations has also come down the ages as a harvest festival preparation. This is made of rice and pulses, with seasonings of ginger and cumin seeds, or milk and jaggery, in the two variations.

Garnished with vegetables, nuts, pulses, spices and ghee, Khichdi is quite a treat! A friend of mine once protested that I had invited her for a meal and only offered her Khichdi. She does reiterate her protest every now and then! I have been unable to convince her of the value of the wholesome food served by her well-meaning friend, a la Sudama’s Khichdi! A senior, retired colleague of ours, Mr PK Ghosh, who is a savant and connoisseur, today, over a telephone conversation described his tryst with Khichdi. Newly posted in Gujarat, many decades ago, with his cook away on leave, this was the easiest ‘survival’ food, suggested by his mother, that he learnt.

A few days ago, he described the ‘Bengali Khichdi’ that he just had. With more dal, less rice, a good portion of vegetables and a dollop of cow’s ghee on top, with baby onions and fresh, tender peas, this Khichdi is to be eaten with Papad and tamarind chutney, he explained. I sure plan to invite myself for some delicious Bengali Khichdi at his home! Over lunch, last week, I was oriented to the Saturday Bihari Khichdi. The Adahengu Khechidi of the Puri Jagannath Temple, Haryanvi Khichdi of Bajra and mung and the Bisi Bele bath of Karnataka, are all variants of the simple Khichdi. On days of returning home after a few days of travelling out, there is nothing to beat the luxury of hot, steaming Khichdi along with a cup of curd or Kadi.

As we offer a tribute to this heavenly dish, a heritage handed over to us from our ancestors, the attitude to eating also pops up. 

‘We are what we eat’- it is said. Let’s draw on the simplicity, wholesomeness and complete satisfaction that Khichdi provides to the rich and poor, young and old, across all times and geographies. Let us consume and propagate this ‘queen of foods’ for healthy and wholesome living, as a toast to the true value of all life and living.