Spotlight on the simple and sumptuous khichdi

We love a good rumour, and when the online world exploded with one suggesting that khichdi would soon be declared the National Dish, we too worked ourselves up in a frenzy. The truth, in fact, was that the dish is being promoted as the ‘Brand India Food’ at a World Food India event organised by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries. By the time Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, Harsimrat Kaur Badal tweeted clarifying that khichdi is just a record entry at the event, the humble dish was all that everyone was talking about! We asked a couple of foodies and chefs whether they were in favour of the National Dish tag for khichdi or not and this is what they had to say...

Chef Ranveer Brar

Culturally, khichdi is one of the oldest recorded dishes. It’s very Indian, and embraced by everyone who came to India, whether it was the Mughals or the British. My favourite version is the Kathiawadi Khichdi. It’s the Gujarati combination of spicy khichdi with chutney and pickle that makes it my favourite. I think it deserves the title but so do a lot of other dishes. Our culinary heritage is so vast, that for any dish to take up that slot would be an injustice to a lot of others. National Dish, as a concept is something I don’t endorse.

Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal, Culinary expert, writer, and consultant

I’m not politically inclined so this is pure food perspective. If I had to pick a National Dish, it would be khichdi. From every perspective — historically the oldest dish, nutritionally complete meal, cheap and easy to make. No other cuisine cooks this combination of cereal and pulse because no other cuisine uses pulses to this degree. And it cuts across all barriers of income, religion, caste and creed. Poor or rich you will identify with it. And you also have veg and non-veg khichdis. I can’t think of any other dish with the same degree of prevalence and variation. It’s quintessentially Indian! I still get nostalgic about the khichdi my daadi used make. It was a thick, almost dry dal khichdi and would be served spicy with kanda batata nu rasawalu shaak, (onion potato gravy side dish) ghee, and papad. I like my khichdi with a dollop of ghee. But if I have to pick, I have a runny moong dal version rich with ghee. And a fab urad dal khichdi we make in Garhwali cuisine.

Saransh Goila, 
Celebrity chef

I absolutely think that khichdi should be declared as the National Dish. It is something that’s accessible to everybody in every part of the country. My favourite childhood memory of khichdi would be the 
basic khichdi made of arhar ki dal and rice with a tadka of jeera and heeng. This, with a lot of ghee and papad accompanied with nimbu ka achar made by my grandmother.

Priyank Sukhija, 
CEO and MD, First Fiddle Restaurants

I think khichdi should be declared as the National Dish as it perfectly represents the simplicity as well as the diversity of our nation. Whilst khichdi in itself is a simple dish, it can be made in different ways by adding interesting ingredients to it, just like we at JLWA, Mumbai have come up with Butter Chicken Khichdi. My favourite childhood memory of khichdi would be the Dal Khichdi made by my mother. I love the way it used to taste along with loads of ghee on it.

Munaf Kapadia, 
Chief Eating Officer, 

The Bohri Kitchen Any country’s National Dish is essentially their comfort food. Something that’s quick to put together and a representation of their culture as well. The US have the Hamburger and China has the Peking Duck. Khichdi, for me, has always been really comforting. In fact, it’s the first thing I ask for when I’m back from a trip. Every second Sunday of the month meant Kheema Khichdi with Paaya (a traditional Bohri gravy cooked with mutton trotters). It’s soul food for me, like chicken soup. On another note, khichdi for the Soul would also be a kick-ass book title. We Bohris have an inborn talent; which is to take any regular simple vegetarian dish and make it non-vegetarian. My mother makes this amazing Kheema Khichdi with smoked minced mutton and pieces of eggs. Apart from that, I also fancy the Dal Khichdi with a good tadka.

Atul Kochhar, Chef

It won’t be fair on South India to declare it the National Dish as they don’t have a version of khichdi. They make khichdi with semolina. Dal Chawal is eaten in entire India and would qualify for National Dish for me. I love the simple khichdi served with pickle, yoghurt, ghee and papad. My family favourite is Mushroom Khichdi with Moong Daal and unpolished rice.