Turkey khitchdi with curry leaves & cashew nuts

Name: Turkey khitchdi with curry leaves & cashew nuts
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 100 g basmati rice; 150 g red split lentils; ½ tsp ground turmeric; 2 tbsp ghee; 1 tsp brown mustard seeds; ½ tsp whole cumin seeds; ¼ tsp black peppercorns; 1 stick cinnamon, broken into pieces; 1 pinch asafoetida; 12 fresh curry leaves; 30 g fresh ginger, cut into fine matchsticks; 2 green chillies, slit; 2 tbsp cashew nuts; 350 g leftover turkey, shredded

Khitchdi is the unanglicised word for kedgeree – a simple porridge of rice and lentils that appears across India in various manifestations – but never with haddock or curry powder. This version is enlivened with nutty spices, fragrant curry leaves and fiery strips of ginger

Recipe by Ravinder Bhogal

4 out of 5 stars(1) Rate this recipe

Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare15 mins
Cook40 mins
Total time55 mins

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Ingredients

100g basmati rice
150g red split lentils
½ tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
½ tsp whole cumin seeds
¼ tsp black peppercorns
1 stick cinnamon, broken into pieces
1 pinch asafoetida
12 fresh curry leaves
30g fresh ginger, cut into fine matchsticks
2 green chillies, slit
2 tbsp cashew nuts
350g leftover turkey, shredded

To serve

1 tbsp rapeseed oil
15 fresh curry leaves
½ x 25g pack fresh coriander, leaves only
4 chapattis (optional)

Method

Wash the rice and lentils thoroughly in plenty of cold water until it runs clear. Drain well and put in a large saucepan with the turmeric and 1.2L water. Bring to the boil and simmer over a low heat for 25 minutes with the lid half on. Stir every so often to ensure it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan.
Meanwhile, melt the ghee in a frying pan over a medium heat. Once it’s smoking hot, sprinkle in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns and cinnamon. As soon as they pop and crackle, add the asafoetida and curry leaves. Add the ginger, chillies and cashews, then cook until the ginger is softened and the cashews are browned all over.
Pour over the rice and lentils, along with about 50ml water and the leftover turkey. Stir and cook for a further 12 minutes, or until the turkey is piping hot throughout.
Wipe out the frying pan used for the spices and add the rapeseed oil. Heat and fry the curry leaves until crisp – this will take seconds. Drain on kitchen paper. Serve the khitchdi in bowls immediately, topped with the coriander and crispy curry leaves, plus chapatis on the side, if liked.