Khara Huggi and Gojju Recipe

Khara Huggi and Gojju (or Khichidi and Good Saaru) are the delicious combo of comfort food we enjoy in Bhogi. This lightly spiced rice and lentil dish is the recipe for babies and when unwell. This lip-smacking South India Pongal staple can be spiced up or down as needed. 

Huggi uses the same ingredients as khichdi: rice and split yellow lentils or moong dal. Yet it is different as this delicious Pongal (psst in Tamil Nadu called Venn Pongal) does not use garlic—the spices used are also minimal. Khara Huggi differs from Khichidi, an excellent example of how to vary your one-pot meals using the same ingredients. The Gojju is a sweet-sour curry that enhances the flavour of the huggi. 

For Bhogi, you can enjoy Hurda, Tumgai Palya, and Sajji Rotti. The Maharashtrian style of Bhogi chi Bhaji is delicious, and I will share it shortly.

Bhogi and Sankranti, or Pongal, are harvest festivals that celebrate newly harvested foods. Bhogi is celebrated grandly in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka. Since it is cold, oilseeds like sesame seeds, peanuts and coconut are used in the foods cooked during this season. 

Here is my list of foods enjoyed for Sankranti. But I must say I am partial to Sajji Roti Recipe, Tumgai Palya Recipe, Bhogichi Bhaji, with this Huggi and Gojju.

What is Huggi?

Huggi or pongal is a soft risotto-like dish, a khichdi common in the Indian Peninsula. I have used rice, skinned yellow lentils called moong dal (check for substitutes below), and spices, mainly black pepper and cumin seeds. The tadka or Vargani is ghee based. 

Traditionally, it is served with a drizzle of homemade ghee on top. Other accompaniments include gojju, papad, raitas, vegetables like green beans, coconut chutney, tomato chutney, and pickles.

Godhi Kutid Payasa or Broken Wheat Payasa (not dalia), is sweet and is the best-known Huggi from Karnataka. 

What is Gojju?

Gojju is a sweet-sour curry made with vegetables like lady fingers, green tomatoes, and bitter gourds. This Bhendikai (ladyfinger) Gojju is a good example. Its sour and sweet taste pairs well with flatbreads like Sajji roti, chapati, and plain steamed rice.

This one, called Good Saaru or Sweet Saaru, is served with Khara Pongal but does not use vegetables or lentils. 

Ingredients to make Khara Huggi and Gojju

For the Khara Huggi 

• Moong Dal - I have used the skinned split moong dal or dhuli moong dal. 
• Rice - For making huggi, you use the short-grained rice. It is better to use the new rice here.
• Clarified butter- We love homemade ghee flavour, so use it generously.
• Spices - Cloves, pepper, and cinnamon lend a warm aroma and favour. 
• Ginger - I have not used any, but traditionally, ginger is added to huggi.
• Tempering- You will need mustard, jeera, asafoetida, curry leaves and red chillies.
• Cashewnuts - Add a lovely flavour, so use them. 
• Salt- I use table salt.

For the Gojju or Good Saaru

• Clarified butter- or homemade ghee(of course is the best) 
• Tempering  - You will need mustard, jeera, asafoetida, curry leaves and red chillies.
• Tamarind: Tamarind paste is used traditionally as a souring agent.
• Spice power- Rasam powder or Saaru masala, the jeera and pepper in the masala complement the curry.
• Jaggery  -  Gud in Marathi is sweet, so you need a lot of jaggery to balance the sour taste of the tamarind. 
• Water - The base of this curry is water. 
• Salt - Table salt is what I use.
• Rice flour - Is an optional ingredient. It thickens the curry, so I like to use it.

How to make Khara Huggi and Gojju

For the Khara Huggi 

My preferred method is the pressure cooker; however, I will also include instructions for cooking in an open pot or a rice cooker.

• Wash the rice and dal together and let them stand for 5-10 minutes. The soaked dal cooks faster, which helps with digestion, reduces the amount of phytic acid, and the body better absorbs the minerals essential in the dal. 
• In the pressure cooker pan, heat clarified butter on medium-high flame. Lower the flame to low and fry the cashew nuts till golden brown. Drain and set aside.
• Next, raise the flame to medium-high, add the whole spices, and let them splutter. Lower the flame to sim and splutter the mustard and cumin seeds. Add a generous pinch of asafoetida and turmeric. If using, add the ginger, either chopped finely or grated.
• On low flame, add the drained rice and dal mix. Stir fry for 4-5 minutes till you get a pleasant aroma or the rice tarts sticking to the bottom.
• Add water five times the volume of the rice and dal. Add salt and raise the flame. Check the seasonings, close the pressure cooker lid, and cook for 4-5 whistles.
• Let the pressure drop naturally, and then open the cooker.
• Now, you may have 2 scenarios.
  • 1. There may be extra water in the cooker. That's fine. As you mix and mash the Huggi, the water will be absorbed by the Huggi. 
  • 2. if your huggi is not soft and has not come together, add ½ cup water and mash as you cook on low flame. ( note that the amount of water needed differs with the rice and the age of the rice used. Aged rice needs extra water). 
• You are ready to serve your huggi. Just top it with the fried cashew nuts and a dollop of ghee.

To cook the Huggi in an open pan or rice cooker, follow the same steps, but instead of 5 cups of water, use 5-½ cups. Cook on low-medium flame with a lid until all the water evaporates and the rice and dal come together well.  

Method of making Gojju or Good Saaru

• Soak the tamarind in warm water and extract the juice from it. Set aside.
• Add the rice flour and water to a small bowl, whisk well to remove lumps, and set aside.
• Heat ghee in a pan, lower the flame, and splutter mustard and cumin seeds. Add asafoetida, curry leaves, and red chillies to the tempering and give it a quick stir.
• Add the water, tamarind paste, jaggery, salt and rasam masala. 
• Adjust the seasonings till the curry is sweet and sour, and bring to a rolling boil.
• When you are ready to serve, stir the water and rice flour mixture quickly. Add it to the boiling curry, stirring constantly.
• Boil till the curry thickens up a little.
• Serve alongside huggi.

Substitutes for Khara Huggi and Gojju

• Moong dal or split yellow lentils—I have used lentils with the skin; you can use skinned yellow lentils, masoor dal, or split red lentils.
• Rice: My standby substitute for rice is millet. I will use Bhagar /barnyard millet or even Rala/foxtail millet. You can check this Porso Millet Venn Pongal| Porso Millet Pongal. However, you can also use quinoa in a 1:1 ratio. 
• Clarified butter—You can use butter in place of clarified butter. However, if you need a vegan version, avoid both and use an odourless refined oil. However, the flavour that clarified butter lends to this Huggi and Gojju is lost.
• Tamarind—Recently, I tried using kokum instead of tamarind, and the gojju tasted delicious; however, it had a telltale pinkish colour.

Variations to Khara Huggi

Let us not forget the other ways of making Khichidi

• Our favourite Sabudana Khichdi Recipe, which can be varied using onions .
• Need the best-tasting khichidi that is easy to cook? Check this Moong Khichadi.
• Who says you need only rice to make khichidi try it this winter with Bajra.
• One of my favourite ways to make this comfort food is using Dalia. Try it.

Equipment

• Pressure cooker to cook the Khara Huggi
• Thick-bottomed pan if not using the pressure cooker or the rice cooker
• Pan to make the Gojju
• Bowl to rinse
• Plates to serve
• Spoons and ladles

Storage

• Khara Huggi stores well, transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the fridge. Since it is well appreciated at home, I have never stored it for more than a day.
• You can always fry the rice and store it in ziplock bags in the freezer. It will last for at least a month. When ready, add the contents to a pan with hot water.

Protips

• The best rice for making this Khara Huggi is new or freshly harvested. However, if you use aged rice, add more water as needed.
• Adjust the amount of water to suit the consistency you like.
• The quantity of rice and dal can be doubled, tripled or halved as needed. Remember to use a bigger vessel when increasing the quantity of rice and dal.
• The Gojju can be made with kokum (or sola) instead of tamarind.
• You can use either lady finger Gojju or bitter gourd Gojju instead of this Good Saaru.

FAQ's

• Which dal and rice is Khara Huggi made of?

  

  Traditionally, Khara Huggi, or Pongal, is made from newly harvested split moong beans, yellow lentils, and rice.

• Which rice is suitable for Huggi?

  

  For Khara Huggi, any newly harvested short-grained rice is suitable.  

• Can I make Khara Huggi with aged rice?

  

  Yes, you can make Khara Huggi with aged rice. However, the amount of water will need to be increased ½ cup extra should do the trick. But if required, add more.

• What is the difference between Khichdi and Pongal?

  

  Pongal and Khichidi both use rice and moong dal. In Pongal, we use black pepper, cumin seeds and ginger. In Khichdi, rice and moong dal are commonly used; you can also use other dals like chana dal khichidi. lso, in khichidi, we use ginger-garlic.

• Can people with diabetes eat Pongal?

  

  Yes, Diabetics can eat Pongal, but in moderation.

• What is Godhi Huggi?

  

  In Kannada, Godhi is wheat and Huggi is Payasam or Payasa and is one of the popular sweet dishes of North Karnataka. 
  

Similar Recipes for Khara Huggi and Gojju

If you need one-pot recipes like this, you can check our

Pairing Recipes for Khara Huggi and Gojju

This Khara Huggi tastes good as it is, but I love to pair it with

Summary: Khara Huggi or Pongal, is a savoury comfort dish made for festivals or as a satisfying, wholesome meal. f you like simple meals like this do not forget to like, comment and share this recipe with family and friends.

Khara Huggi and Gojju Recipe

Khara Huggi and Gojju is the savoury comfort food, the ultimate Bhogi festival recipe or a wholesome everyday meal.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate Save Recipe Saved Recipe!

Course: Brunch, Dinner, Festival Cooking, Lunch

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Bhogi Reipes, Comfort food, Dal- lentils, Easy Dinner ready under #30minutes, Festive Recipes, Packed Lunch, Rice Recipes

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 3 people

Calories: 0.134kcal

Author: ArchanaPotdar

1x2x3x

Share by Email

Equipment

• 1 Pressure cooker to cook the Khara Huggi
• 1 Pan to make the Gojju
• Bowls to rinse
• Spoons and Ladles
• 3 Plates to serve

Ingredients

Ingredients For Khara Huggi

• ½ cup moong dal
• ½ cup rice
• 3 tablespoon clarified butter approximately
• 3-4 cloves
• 3-4 pepper
• 1 inch cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon mustard
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• curry leaves a spring of
• 2-3 dried red chillies
• 5 cups water
• salt
• 6-7 cashew nuts
• 1 tablespoon ginger optional

Ingredients for Gojju

• 1 tablespoon clarified butter
• ½ teaspoon mustard
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1-2 springs curry leaves
• tamarind A lemon-sized ball soaked in warm water
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon rasam powder
• 3 tablespoon jaggery
• Salt to taste
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoon rice flour optional but recommended

Instructions

Method for Khara Huggi:

• Wash and drain the ½ cup rice and ½ cup moong dal. Let them stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Heat 3 tablespoon clarified butter in the pressure cooker and fry the 6-7 cashew nuts on low flame. Drain and keep aside.
  

Making the Tempering:

• On low flame, add 3-4 pepper, 3-4 cloves and 1 inch cinnamon in the same pan quickly.
• When they splutter, add the ½ teaspoon mustard and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Add curry leaves,2-3 dried red chillies, ¼ teaspoon asafoetida and ¼ teaspoon turmeric. If using, add the 1 tablespoon ginger, either chopped finely or grated.
  

Cooking the Khara Pongal:

• Add the drained rice and dal and stir fry for 4-5 minutes till the rice becomes aromatic.
• Add 5 cups water and salt and raise the flame.
• Check the seasonings, close the pressure cooker lid, and cook for 4-5 whistles.
• Let the pressure drop naturally, and then open the cooker.
  

On opening the Pressure cooker:

• Mix and mash the Huggi.
• If there is extra water, it will be absorbed by the Huggi.
• If the Huggi feels dry, add ½ cup water and mash as you cook on low flame.
• Top with clarified butter and fried cashew nuts to serve with Gojju.
  

Method for Gojju:

Prepping

• Soak tamarind . Let it stand for a few minutes while you gather the other ingredients. Then, extract the juice and set it aside.
• Add the 2 tablespoon rice flour and ½ cup water to a bowl, whisk well to remove lumps, and set aside.
  

Making the Tempering:

• Heat 1 tablespoon clarified butter in a wok, lower the flame and add ½ teaspoon mustard and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds.
• Once the spluttering stops, add ¼ teaspoon asafoetida, ¼ teaspoon turmeric,1-2 springs curry leaves and 2 dried red chillies to the tempering.
  
• Add the tamarind paste, 3 tablespoon jaggery, Salt to taste, 1 teaspoon rasam powder,1 tablespoon red chilli powder and 3 cups water.
  

Bringing the Curry together:

• Bring to a rolling boil and adjust the seasonings. The curry should be sweet and sour.
  
• When ready to serve, stir the water and rice flour mixture quickly. Then, add it to the boiling curry, stirring constantly.
• Boil till the curry thickens up a little.
  
• Serve alongside Khara Huggi.

Video