Rinse masoor dal and dalia 2-3 times with water, drain, and add 3.5 cups of fresh water for soaking.
Soak them for at least 1 hour before cooking. Once soaked, do not discard the water, it will be used for cooking.
Switch on the Instant pot on sautee mode.
Add in the ghee, and once warm add in the cumin, chopped green chilies, curry leaves, and whole spices.
Now add in the spices immediately followed by ¼ cup water.
Add in all the remaining mentioned ingredients except spinach.
Stir well.
Cancel the saute mode and secure the pot with the lid, and the knob on the sealing position.
Press MANUAL, high pressure for 8 minutes on the pot.
Allow natural pressure release. Once the silver pin drops down, approx. 15 minutes after cooking is done, open up the pot.
Switch the pot on saute mode and add in chopped spinach. Fold it well and cook for a minute.
At this point, you can add more water to the khichdi to adjust the consistency. Let it simmer for a minute.
Taste and add any seasoning if needed.
Serve warm with a generous squeeze of lemon.
Top it with a drizzle of ghee if desired.
A side of achaar, papad, and chivda makes it taste amazing.
Notes
Daliya is not gluten-free. It is whole wheat grain. If you are sensitive to gluten then stick to rice or quinoa khichdi. The cooking time and water measurements will change.Important tips.
If you are soaking daliya and lentils overnight then the cooking time will be 4 minutes at high pressure.
If you don't have time to soak them at all then the cooking time will be 18 minutes at high pressure. I do not suggest this method as the veggies will turn mushy. You can cook veggies separately in a pan and then add them to the khichdi once it is done.
Always adjust the spices to your taste.
Khichdi thickens considerably after cooling down. Rehydrate the leftovers with some water while reheating them.
Possible substitutes.
Swap ghee with coconut or avocado oil to make it VEGAN.
Swap brown masoor dal with orange, yellow, or green lentils.
This recipe is very flexible on ingredients. You can add veggies of your choice. Cabbage, cauliflower, onion, potatoes, garlic, and lauki works well.
I have made this recipe Jain, without onion, garlic, or potatoes. Add if desired.
Storage tips.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.