By Rajlakshmi
January 15, 2026
Urad dal khichdi is made and served to everyone during Makar Sankranti. With utmost devotion, urad dal khichdi is made at home for everyone during the festival, mainly in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand.
¾ cup of urad dal 1 cup rice ½ inch piece of gingers 1-2 chopped green chillies A pinch of asafoetida or hing ½ tsp of red chilli powder ⅔ tsp of coriander powder 1 bay leaf 2 cloves ½ cinnamon stick 1 tsp cumin seeds 5-6 black peppercorns 1-2 black cardamom 1-2 star anises 1 mace blade ½ tsp fennel seeds Oil as needed Salt as needed
Wash the urad dal and rice separately. Soak the dal for 1 hour and the rice for ½ hour.
Make the khada masala. Dry roast bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, black cardamom, star anise, mace blade and fennel seeds.
In the pressure cooker, add oil, khada masala, cumin seeds, hing, followed by crushed ginger and green chilli. Sauté the mix.
Add the drained dal with salt, red chilli and coriander powder. Roast the dal for 5 minutes, and add the rice with water.
Season the mixture with salt and pressure cook it for 2-3 whistles. Let it simmer for some time.
Urad dal khichdi is ready! Store in a clean, air-tight container inside the refrigerator. It lasts for 24 to 36 hours.