Indian cuisine is something that I have had very little experience with outside of the occasional off-handed addition of curry powder to various things.  The more I look into creating my own favorites from scratch, the more I realize that there is SO much variation it's a little silly to think of any one flavor or texture as being quintessentially "Indian".   And with that said,  an extremely common ingredient used in Indian food is Ghee, or clarified butter. Easily replaceable in the kitchen at home, but hard to avoid when it is being cooked for you by others.  And this, I suppose, is my main excuse for having never gotten familiar with Indian food.

Until now!  I put a shout out on social media and was met with a couple of different favorite dishes:  Khichdi, and Biryani.  There are so many variations out there to choose from, and I went with a highly aromatic vegatarian version of Khichdi, and will be trying out a Coconut milk-based version of Biryani sometime in the very near future.

The Khichdi I made turned out to have a gorgeously balanced flavor combination, with warming green chili and a beautiful rizzoto-like texture.  Perfect for a chilly late-autumn evening.

 

                                               1/2 cup green peas

 Soak lentils and brown rice in a bowl with enough salted water to cover them for 30 minutes.

 Heat olive oil  on medium heat  in a large pot and add spices. 

 

 Stir until fragrant (2 minutes) and then add garlic, onions, and chilli paste. Cook for another 2-3 minutes and then add your veggies.  Stir and cook for another 4-5 minutes.

Drain the lentils and rice and put them in the pot.  Stir everything to combine.  Add salt to taste and 4 cups of water.  Stir, cover and cook on low until most of the water is absorbed (around 30 minutes).  

Serve and enjoy!