• Once you plan to make khichdi , please soak your lentils and rice grains( soak for 30 minutes) separately . You can make khichdi without soaking lentils and rice but for health benefits , I recommend to soak. Soaking lentils for 3 + hours helps to reduce antinutrients phytates , there by it helps to absorb vitamins and minerals.
• Drain water completely from soaked lentils and rice , rinse with cold water and set aside.

To pressure cook rice and lentils

• Firstly , heat 1 teaspoon of ghee / clarified butter in a pressure cooker . Add cumin seeds, ginger, soaked moong dal, rice ,turmeric powder , hing/ asafoetida and give a quick stir.
• Add 3 cups of water , ½ teaspoon of salt and pressure cook for 2 – 3 whistles.

To blanch spinach

• Whilst , Blanch spinach : Add spinach and green chillies to hot water. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Later remove from hot water and dip in cold water for 1-2 minutes.
• Remove spinach leaves, green chillies from cold water and blend to smooth puree without adding water.

To make Palak Khichdi

• In a pan , heat 1 tablespoon of ghee, add bay leaf , red chili , cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods. Allow it release its oil and turns aromatic.
• Now tip in garlic , ginger , chopped onions and saute till onions turns translucent.
• Add chopped tomatoes and saute until tomatoes turns mushy.
• Add red chili powder , coriander powder and mix well everything.
• Now add in spinach/ palak puree , about 1 cup puree ( 1- 1.5 cups puree can be used) and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
• Add 2 cups of water (I have used blender rinsed water) , salt to taste and cook on medium flame until it comes to gentle boil.
• Now add in cooked rice and moong dal , mix until everything is well combined.
• Cover pan with a lid and keep on simmer for 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes, open the lid. Adjust water if you find palak khichdi to be too thick. If it is thin, you can continue to cook on simmer for few more minutes, until it thickens and reaches desired consistency.
• Finally add another 1.5 tablespoon of ghee , ½ teaspoon of garam masala powder and Turn off the stove.
• Add lime juice , Mix well everything and serve with ghee, pickle and papad