The humble khichdi is soon going to be world famous! In the country's biggest-ever global food expo, the World Food India in Delhi on 4 November 2017, Khichdi will be globally promoted as healthy, delicious, economical and easy to make Superfood of India. There is also an event to create a Guinness World Record for making 800 kg Khichdi.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the Minister of Food Processing Industries of India has described Khichdi as the ‘Queen of all foods’. The traditional dish relished by both rich and poor will be prepared live at the World Food India. Over 800 kg Khichdi will be prepared in an attempt to create a world record and to popularise it as brand India food globally.

Khichdi is prepared using rice, pulses, coarse cereals and spices and symbolizes the country’s unity in diversity. Although it is known by different names in different parts of the country, there is no doubt that it is a healthy and nutritious comfort food.

Bengal

Bengalis call the dish Khichuri and it is considered a rich gourmet delicacy. It is also the first food fed to infants to introduce them to solid foods. It is prepared during holy ceremonies to be kept as an offering to God. Khichdi is made with many ingredients mixed in it and hence it is also called ‘Joga khichuri’ where the term in Bangla means “a mess”. It is accompanied with meat curries, fish, potato chops or it can be simply had with ghee(clarified butter) and pickle.

Bihar

Khichdi is very popular in Bihar where it is made with rice, dal and garam masala. It is customary to eat khichdi every Saturday in Bihar, and also at dinner during Makar Sankranti. A popular variation in khichdi in the winter months is the addition of cauliflower and green peas.

Gujarat

Khichdi is a very popular dish of Gujaratis who love to have it with special kadhi, a spicy curry made from a thin sauce of gram flour, curry leaves, cumin, and buttermilk. It is the traditional diet of Kutchi people who consider it as a light and nutritious dish which is preferably consumed as an evening meal.

Haryana

Haryanvi kichri is made from bajra and mung dal (split mung bean) pounded in mortar (unkhal), and often eaten by mixing with warm ghee or yogurt. Sometimes jowar is also mixed with Bajra and mung dal to form a delicious meal.

Odisha

Khichdi is a popular dish in Odisha as well and one of its variety- adahengu khechudi- is a popular dish at the Jagannath Temple.

South India

The popular dish of Karnataka, ‘Bisi bele bath’ is a variant of khichdi which is loved by many. In Tamil Nadu, people prepare Pongal which is very similar to khichdi. It is prepared with rice, lentils and seasoned with black pepper, cumin and cashews. Khichdi is also an important part of Hyderabadi cuisine.

 Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has said, “Khichdi is the wonder staple food of India and is considered the healthiest prepared food in India and it is being eaten across length and breadth of India by rich and poor”.

During the event, a giant ‘kadhai’ (frying pan) of the capacity of 1,000 litres and 7 feet in diameter will be used for slow steam-cooking of more than 800 kg khichdi. It will be prepared by renowned chef Sanjeev Kapoor, who has been roped as brand ambassador of the Great India Food Street for the three-day event starting November 3, being organised by Food Processing Ministry along with CII.

The cooked khichdi will be distributed to about 60,000 orphan children as well as guests present at the event. The khichdi will also be distributed to the Heads of Foreign Missions in India along with recipe. Thus, this event will catapult khichdi from a humble dish to the queen of foods.