Soft Rice and Yellow Lentil Porridge with Cumin and Ghee

Rinse and soak. Tip the rice and lentils into the sieve and rinse under cold running water, rubbing gently, until the water runs almost clear. Soak them in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes, then drain. Rinsing washes off surface starch and dust, while the short soak helps the grains soften evenly and break down into a smooth porridge.

Build the base. Melt the 2 tbsp ghee in the heavy saucepan over medium heat and add the cumin seeds; let them sizzle for 20-30 seconds until fragrant. Add the onion and ginger and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent. Stir in the turmeric, then the tomato, and cook for 4 minutes until soft. Blooming the spices in hot fat draws out their aroma, and softened tomato adds gentle acidity and body.

Simmer to a porridge. Add the drained rice and lentils and stir for 1 minute to coat them in the spiced ghee. Pour in the water, add the salt and bring to a boil, scraping the base. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes so nothing catches, until everything has broken down into a soft, loose porridge. Regular stirring releases starch for creaminess; add a splash of hot water if it gets too thick, as it firms up on standing.

Make the tempering. Heat the 1 tbsp ghee in the small pan over medium heat with the mustard seeds. Once they start to pop, add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and curry leaves, if using, and let them sizzle for under 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the chilli powder and pour straight over the porridge, standing back as it may splatter. Adding the chilli powder off the heat stops it scorching, so it keeps its bright colour and mellow warmth.

Serve with yoghurt. Ladle the khichdi into bowls and top with the yoghurt and coriander leaves. Pick out the cinnamon stick and whole spices as you serve, since they are there for flavour rather than eating. The cool yoghurt contrasts nicely with the warm, spiced porridge.