Rice Porridge Recipe: Make Crispy Pancakes from Rice Flour Instead of Wheat Flour

If you want to try something more original and authentic than regular dal-rice or khichdi, the Gujarati Khato recipe is perfect. This dish is made from yogurt, fried rice, and moong lentils.

During the holy month of Sawan, people often abstain from eating onion and garlic and prefer light food. In such cases, the problem arises that daily monotonous eating becomes boring. Although khichdi and kadhi are prepared in every home, here is a dish from Gujarat that resembles khichdi in its lightness but has the same delicious taste as kadhi.

If you are striving to cook something light, healthy, and unusual, be sure to try Gujarati Khato. This traditional dish from Gujarat is made using fried rice, moong lentils, whole green moong, and yogurt. Its taste is slightly sour, spicy, and very soothing. The distinguishing feature is that it can be made with a small amount of ingredients, and it is good for digestion.

If you do not have pickle powder (achar masala), you can sprinkle finely ground red pepper on top, which will also enhance the flavor.

Simple Way to Prepare Gujarati Khato

First, thoroughly wash the rice, yellow moong lentils, and whole green moong. Then, fry them in a pot over medium heat without oil until all moisture evaporates and they acquire a light golden color. After this, let them cool completely.

Once the mixture has cooled, lightly grind it in a blender to obtain a coarse powder; it is important that the powder is not too fine.

In a separate bowl, whisk the yogurt with water to obtain a liquid buttermilk. Finely chop the green chili, ginger, and garlic to make a paste.

Heat peanut oil in a pot. Add cumin seeds, rai, fennel, whole red chilies, and curry leaves to create an aromatic tempering. Then stir in the ginger, garlic, and green chili paste and sauté for about a minute. After that, add til seeds and turmeric and mix.

Add about half a cup of the prepared mixture and sauté, stirring, for one to two minutes. Then, while constantly stirring, gradually pour in the prepared buttermilk to avoid lumps. Cook over medium heat until the mixture becomes thick and creamy.

Finally, add salt to taste and mix well once more.

How to Serve

Garnish the finished Gujarati Khato with a small amount of pickle powder, a few drops of peanut oil, and finely chopped fresh coriander. If you do not have pickle powder, you can use finely ground red pepper. Serve hot and enjoy the traditional taste of Gujarat.

During the rainy season, many people feel like eating something hot and spicy. However, during fasting, consuming regular pakoras made from legume powder or wheat flour is forbidden, which sometimes causes boredom. If you are observing the fast in Savan and want to prepare something crispy and delicious, potato bhajis made with brown rice flour will be an excellent choice. This dish is not only very tasty but also healthy, as brown rice flour provides the body with a large amount of energy and nutrients.

For preparation, you will need: 2 large potatoes (cut into long, thin pieces), half a cup of brown rice flour (Buckwheat Flour), 2 tablespoons of Samak rice flour or singada flour for extra crispiness, 2-3 green chilies (finely chopped), 1 teaspoon of grated ginger, Sendha salt to taste, half a teaspoon of ground black pepper, half a teaspoon of roasted cumin, finely chopped cilantro, and water as needed to create a slightly thick mixture. For frying, use fasting oil or peanut oil.

First, peel the potatoes and cut them into thin, long slices, similar to fries or pakoras. These slices must be thoroughly washed with water and then dried on a cotton cloth to remove excess moisture. Next, place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. Add the brown rice flour, Samak rice flour, Sendha salt, ground black pepper, cumin powder, green chilies, ginger, and cilantro to this bowl. It is important to add water very carefully so that the flour evenly coats the potato pieces, while avoiding a too runny consistency.

Pour fasting oil or peanut oil into a pan over medium heat, and it should heat up well. Then, place the mixture in small portions into the hot oil. The heat level should be maintained at medium or high to ensure the bhajis are soft inside and perfectly crispy outside. After this, fry them until golden-brown and crispy. Remove the finished crispy bhajis and place them on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Serve them hot with fasting green chutney made from cilantro and mint, as well as tea.

To make the bhajis crispy, it is crucial to thoroughly dry the potatoes after cutting; otherwise, the mixture will become wet. It is also recommended not to leave the mixture for long after adding salt, as salt can cause liquid to leach out of the potatoes.