Tracing The Story Behind Khichdi

From royal khansamahs to everyday kitchens. Here’s why a humble bowl of khichdi, made from a rice-lentil-ghee recipe, is one of India’s most fascinating dishes.

Khichdi was well-liked among Mughal kings (Wikimedia Commons)

Our kitchens have witnessed some of the subcontinent’s greatest histories. The khichdi we make each morning is no exception.

Known as a savoury hodgepodge of rice, lentils, and ghee, khichdi is prepared and consumed across India. But its history is older than one would expect. So much so that Ibn Battuta, a Moroccan traveller, mentioned it in his 14th-century travel writings. Despite these observations covering around 117,000 km of land, khichdi still finds a mention here, with Battuta saying:

“Munj is boiled with rice, then buttered and eaten. This is what they call Kishri, and on this, they breakfast every day.”

Battuta isn’t the only one either. Throughout history, Greek kings, geographers, pilgrims, and adventurers, have all made note of khichdi. In fact, some claim that this morning dish is one of the most ancient dishes of India, the same one which Draupadi fed Pandavas during their exile. This means khichdi can be dated as far back as the 9th and 8th centuries BCE.

As years passed, khichdi even made its way to the Mughal empire. In one famous tale, Birbal, the advisor of Emperor Akbar, uses the dish to get the king to realise his fault. And this isn’t simply a work of fiction either. Akbar’s love of khichdi has been well-documented — especially by his courtier, Abul Fazl, who had chefs make 30 maunds of khichdi every day, which any passer-by could freely dine on. In today’s terms, that’s nearly 1200 kgs, but some claim it could be ten times more.

In later decades, Jahangir and Aurangzeb also acquired a taste for khichdi. The former is believed to have enjoyed the Gujarati take on khichdi made with spices and nuts; while Aurangzeb considered Alamgiri khichdi, made with fish and boiled eggs, as his Ramzan staple. Other recipes from India also have their own take on the royal khichdi. But what is less known is that even Queen Victoria got a taste of this dish. During the colonial period, it is believed that her Urdu tutor, Munshi Abdul Karim, presented the monarch with khichdi prepared by his wife.

Despite this royal fare, khichdi has actually remained a humble dish throughout centuries. However, different places have their own take on the dish. In Tamil Nadu, khichdi is a long-standing Pongal staple made two ways, spicy and savoury or soaked in ghee. In Gujarat, it is paired with the yoghurt-based kadhi, resulting in a version so delicious that it is believed Sultan Ahmed Shah I ate it every single day. Khichdi’s Karnataka counterpart, bisi bele hulianna, is packed with tamarind and jaggery, whereas keema khichdi, popularised by the Nizams of Hyderabad, brings a non-vegetarian spin to the dish.

Despite these interpretations, the charm of khichdi throughout centuries ultimately boils down to its simplicity. Made primarily through pulses and legumes found around us, this centuries-old dish has brought comfort and warmth to mighty kings as well as ordinary people. So next time you make khichdi, it’s worth remembering that you aren’t just getting a comforting bowl, but a window into India’s rich and remarkable culinary past.