Bengali Style Brown Rice Khichdi (Low Salt Recipe)
Tarla Dalal
• Updated : Jan 20, 2026
Bengali Style Brown Rice Khichdi is a comforting one-pot meal made with brown rice, split moong dal, and mild Bengali spices. This wholesome dish is lightly seasoned with bay leaves, cumin, ginger, and a touch of turmeric, giving it a soothing aroma and earthy flavour.
Table of Content
Unlike regular khichdi, the Bengali version is subtle, balanced, and easy to digest. Using brown rice adds extra fibre and nutrients, making it ideal for a healthy lunch or dinner. Traditionally enjoyed with ghee, vegetables, or beguni, this khichdi is perfect during monsoons or when you need simple comfort food.
Be it a cold winter’s day or a sweltering summer’s one, there is nothing like a meal of Khichdi to perk you up, for this is one dish that manages to always warm the soul as well as satisfy the tummy!
The Bengali style adds a bit of excitement to the equation, by cooking the rice and dal with a large assortment of spices and veggies.
Here, we have perked up the health quotient of this simple but flavour-packed dish by making it with brown rice. While making the Bengali-style Brown Rice Khichdi, stick to the proportions of spices mentioned in this recipe as they are perfectly balanced.
You can also try other blood pressure friendly dishes like the Poha Handwa and Green Peas Soup .
Tags
Soaking Time
30 minutes
Preparation Time
45 Mins
Cooking Time
20 Mins
Baking Time
0 Mins
Baking Temperature
0
Sprouting Time
0
Total Time
65 Mins
Makes
4 servings
Ingredients
for Bengali Style Brown Rice Khichdi
- 1/2 cup brown rice , soaked for 30 minutes and drained
- 1/2 cup masoor (split red lentil) dal , washed and drained
- 2 clove (laung / lavang)
- 1 cardamom (elaichi)
- 1 small stick cinnamon (dalchini)
- 2 tsp ghee
- 1 bay leaf (tejpatta)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- 3/4 cup chopped carrot
- 3/4 cup chopped french beans
- 3/4 cup green peas
- 2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
- 1/8 tsp salt
Method
for Bengali Style Brown Rice Khichdi
- Combine the cloves, cardamom and cinnamon in a mortar pestle and ground into a coarse powder.
- Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker, add the bayleaf and the prepared coarse powder and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
- Add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, brown rice, masoor dal, carrots, french beans and peas, mix well and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of water, green chillies and salt, mix well and pressure cook for 4 whistles.
- Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
- Serve immediately.
Bengali Style Brown Rice Khichdi, Low Salt Recipe recipe with step by step photos
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To make the Bengali Style Brown Rice Khichdi, take a deep bowl, wash the 1/2 cup brown rice thoroughly under water and soak in enough water.
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Cover with a lid and keep aside to soak for about 30 minutes.
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Drain the rice well with the help of a strainer.
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Combine the 2 clove (laung / lavang), 1 cardamom (elaichi) and 1 small stick cinnamon (dalchini) in a mortar pestle and ground into a coarse powder.
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Heat the 2 tsp ghee in a pressure cooker, add the 1 bay leaf (tejpatta) and the prepared coarse powder and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
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Add the 1/2 cup finely chopped onion and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
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Add the 1 tsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi), brown rice, 1/2 cup masoor (split red lentil) dal , washed and drained, 3/4 cup chopped carrot, 3/4 cup chopped french beans and 3/4 cup green peas, mix well and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
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Add 2 cups of water, 2 tsp finely chopped green chillies and 1/8 tsp salt, mix well.
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Pressure cook for 4 whistles.
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Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
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Serve Bengali Style Brown Rice Khichdi, Low Salt Recipe immediately.
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- What is this dish and why is it special?
It’s a Bengali-style khichdi made with brown rice, lentils and mixed vegetables, cooked with aromatic whole spices healthier due to the use of brown rice and low salt. - What ingredients are needed to make this khichdi?
Main ingredients include brown rice, masoor dal (split red lentil), ghee, whole spices (cloves, cardamom, cinnamon), onions, carrots, french beans, peas, ginger-garlic paste, green chillies, turmeric and salt. - Do I need to soak the rice before cooking?
Yes brown rice should be soaked for about 30 minutes before cooking to ensure even and quicker cooking. - What equipment is best for cooking this recipe?
A pressure cooker is recommended for this recipe to cook the rice, dal and vegetables together quickly and evenly. - How long does the cooking process take?
After preparation and soaking, the actual cook time is about 20 minutes in the pressure cooker (around 4 whistles). - Can I adjust the salt level?
Yes this is a low salt version (about 1⁄8 tsp), but you can adjust to taste if you don’t need to limit sodium. - What is the water ratio for cooking?
The recipe uses 2 cups of water for ½ cup each of brown rice and lentils. - Is this dish good for a healthy diet?
Yes it’s low in fat, contains fiber from brown rice and vegetables, and is suitable for those watching sodium or seeking a balanced meal. Nutrient info shows approx 219 kcal per serving. - Can I add other vegetables or lentils?
You can customize with other vegetables like potatoes or cauliflower or swap some lentils, but keep water and cooking time in mind. (General khichdi practice) - How should I serve this khichdi?
It’s best served hot often paired with yogurt (dahi), pickle, papad or a simple side to enhance flavor and texture. (Common serving suggestion for Bengali khichdi variants)
If you liked this Bengali Style Brown Rice Khichdi Recipe then also check out other recipes like:
1. Soak Rice & Dal Properly
Soak the brown rice and masoor dal for the full 30 minutes before cooking. This helps reduce cooking time, ensures even texture, and makes the grains softer and easier to digest.
2. Don’t Skip Spices & Aromatics
The whole spices (cloves, cardamom, cinnamon) and ginger-garlic paste add a deep aroma and flavor lightly crush the spices before sautéing to release their oils. This enhances the taste without needing extra salt.
3. Temper Vegetables Evenly
Cut vegetables (carrot, beans, peas) into similar-sized pieces so they cook uniformly along with rice and dal. This gives you a balanced texture neither too mushy nor too firm.
4. Use Just the Right Water
Follow the water measurements (about 2 cups for the proportions in this recipe). Too much water makes khichdi too mushy; too little may leave it underdone. If you prefer a softer, porridge-like consistency, add a splash more hot water after pressure cooking.
5. Low Salt Doesn’t Mean Low Flavor
Since the recipe uses very low salt (1/8 tsp), boost flavor with fresh green chilies, a squeeze of lemon, or a small dollop of ghee at the end when serving instead of adding more salt.
6. Rest Before Serving
Let the cooked khichdi sit for a few minutes after pressure releases. This allows excess steam to settle and the flavors to meld together perfectly.
7. Add a Final Tadka (Optional)
Though this recipe is low salt, a quick tadka of ghee with cumin seeds and a pinch of black pepper poured over before serving can dramatically elevate aroma and taste without increasing salt. (General khichdi cooking tip.)
8. Serve with Accompaniments
Serve hot khichdi with plain yogurt, papad, or a tangy pickle to add contrast in flavor and texture especially useful when salt is minimal. (General serving tips for khichdi recipes.)
Nutrient values (Abbrv)per plate
| Energy | 219 Calories |
| Protein | 9.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 37.9 g |
| Fiber | 6.7 g |
| Fat | 3.3 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 112 mg |
Click here to view Calories for Bengali Style Brown Rice Khichdi, Low Salt Recipe
The Nutrient info is complete
Nisha
Dec. 13, 2014, 5:10 p.m.
This vegetable khichdi I made for an uncle who had come over to my house for dinner. He is highly hypertensive and has taken a written copy of this recipe too.
