A bowl of satiating khichdi is perhaps one of the greatest pleasures in life, especially on a nippy winter night, don't you think? There is something really soothing about khichdi that no matter how much we love gorging on heavy and rich Indian curries or royal biryanis, we would choose to dig into a bowl of simple khichdi after a long day. It is easy, simple to cook, wholesome, healthy and extremely delicious. No wonder it is one of the first solid foods for a baby! And while some of us might think of it as bland and boring, you would be surprised to know how much one can experiment with it. From mixing a range of dals to playing with veggies, the variety of khichdis never cease to surprise us! In fact, did you know you can make a diabetic-friendly khichdi too?
One of the most common and biggest challenges in the world of health, diabetes is a condition characterised by raised blood sugar levels and is an irreversible, chronic condition. According to many health experts, diabetes can either only be prevented or managed by certain diet and lifestyle changes. There are certain foods that may help manage blood sugar levels to a good extent. Dals such as moong dal and winter veggies like green peas or matar are wholesome and have nutrients that can help manage the condition. Moong dal is one of the most common sources of plant-based protein and is also one of the most versatile ones! The high protein content in moong dal helps us stay satiated for long hours while keeping sugar levels in the blood under control. Dr. Jyoti Bhatt, Senior Dietician at Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre says, "The key is to choose foods that are high in fibre, protein and healthy fats. These nutrients will help keep your blood sugar levels under control."
Moong dal is one of the most popular plant-based sources of protein.
On the other hand, matar is one such vegetable that is extensively used across Indian dishes and can be extremely beneficial for diabetics. Low in calories, rich in protein, fibre and potassium, green peas actually is a quite a diabetic-friendly food to add in your diet! Deficiency of potassium is said to increase the risk of diabetes and might be important for those vulnerable to the condition. Besides that as per the USDA data, a 100 gm portion of green peas contains 5 gm of protein!
(Also Read: Green Peas (Matar) For Diabetes: Why This Desi Veggie Is Good For Regulating Blood Sugar)
There are many ways to add moong dal and green peas in your diet given how versatile both these foods are, but this yummy, quick and easy khichdi seems like the simplest ways of all!
Here is how you can make moong and matar ki khichdi at home:
Ingredients:
- Moong (whole green gram, soaked and drained)- 1/2 cup
- Green peas (matar)- 1/2 cip
- Oil- 2 tsp
- Onion (chopped)- 1/4 cup
- Tomatoes (chopped)- 1/2cup
- Ginger-garlic paste- 1 1/2 tsp
- Green chilli- 1 (chopped)
- Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
- Salt- As per taste
- Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
- A pinch of asafoetida
Method:
1. Combine moong and matar with salt in a pressure cooker with some water and let it cook.
2. Now heat the oil in a non-stick pan and crackle cumin seeds on it. Saute asafoetida and onion and green chillies on a medium flame for about a minute.
3.Now add tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric and salt, mix and cook well. Mash the tomatoes well and keep stirring.
4. Now add the cooked moong and matar with about 1/4 cup of water. Mix and cook well for about 5 minutes and serve the moong and matar khichdi hot.
Try this wholesome, healthy and yummy khichdi to manage blood sugar levels and share your experience with us in the comments section below.