Kichari Patties (Spiced Red Lentils and Rice)

Kichari, an Indian spiced legume and rice porridge, really is something special. It can be something as simple as rice and red lentils cooked together, seasoned with salt and pepper and eaten as is. Many variations include a variety of veggies cooked right into the pot; onions, peas, cauliflower, you name it. It's often spiced with mustard seeds, cumin, fenugreek, and our all time-favorite, turmeric. It's like an Indian risotto, cooked on a stove top until nice and creamy and dished out in wide bowls. You can eat it alone or with a simple flat bread.

Here I change it up a bit and form this simple dish into our "Kichari Patties". Dressed with a bit of tamarind sauce or hot sauce, it can be served as a snack, lunch, or dinner. Since it contains both rice and lentils (and a myriad of vegetables) it is in fact a very complete meal (and a complete protein!) Enjoy these while the weather is still cool, and it feels good to eat something warming and grounding. Be sure to include some black pepper in them as well, as it's proven that black pepper increases our good friend turmeric's bioavailability 1000x, yes 1000x. Gotta love when our plant friends work together as a team.

Kichari Patties (Spiced Red Lentils and Rice)

Renee Press

Kichari, an Indian spiced legume and rice porridge, really is something special. It can be something as simple as rice and red lentils cooked together, seasoned with salt and pepper and eaten as is. 

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 55 mins

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American, Indian

Servings 12 patties

Calories 133 kcal

METHOD Stovetop

DIET Vegan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 clove garlic, chopped
• ▢ 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger, chopped
• ▢ ½ cup of onion, chopped
• ▢ 1 cup of red lentils
• ▢ 1 cup of brown rice (basmati, long grain, or short grain)
• ▢ 2 ½ cups of water
• ▢ 3 cups veggies of choice, finely chopped: broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, potatoes, peas, carrots, kale, etc.
• ▢ ¼ cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
• ▢ ¼ cup of fresh parsley, chopped
• ▢ ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds
• ▢ ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
• ▢ ½ teaspoon of turmeric
• ▢ ½ teaspoon of black pepper
• ▢ 1-2 Tablespoons of oil

Instructions

 

• In a medium pot, combine 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, ginger and onion and saute on medium heat until lightly browning. Add red lentils, rice and water and bring to a low boil. Cover pot and lower to a simmer. Let cook for 20-25 minutes until rice and lentils are cooked and it has reached a porridge like consistency. Uncover pot, turn off heat, and let rest, it will thicken a bit.
• When rice and lentils are done cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet and add cumin and mustard seeds, heat on medium low until mustard seeds begin to pop, usually 1-2 minutes. Do not let them burn. Add turmeric and black pepper to oil and stir. Add chopped vegetables of choice to skillet and cook on medium low heat until just tender and salt to taste. Add fresh herbs and stir into cooling rice/lentil mixture.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly oil baking sheet, or line with parchment paper. When cool enough to handle, form kichari into small balls with your hands and lay on sheet evenly spaced. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. They will remain soft and delicious inside. Drizzle with tamarind sauce, or condiment of choice, Sriracha would work well here. Enjoy!

Notes

Dressed with a bit of tamarind sauce or hot sauce, it can be served as a snack, lunch, or dinner. Since it contains both rice and lentils (and a myriad of vegetables) it is in fact a very complete meal (and a complete protein!)

Nutrition

Calories: 133kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 6gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 13mgPotassium: 283mgFiber: 6gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 277IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Please tag us at @PlantBasedonaBudget! 🙂

Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.