Wholesome Moong Dal Khichdi : A nutritious and comforting one-pot meal. Try our easy recipes for a tasty, quick dinner.

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Wholesome Moong Dal Khichdi : A nutritious and comforting one-pot meal. Try our easy recipes for a tasty, quick dinner.
by [Archana Potdar] · This post may contain affiliate links · 17 Comments
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Rice and sugar are the main ingredients. And this delicious gluten-free rice recipe made for a celebratory or festive meal is commonly in the Indian subcontinent.
Kesar Bhat or Sweetened Rice Pulao Indian Style is a dessert. It is served in a sit-down meal after saaru anna in North Karnataka.
In Maharashtra this rice is called Sakhar Bhaat my grandmother called it Kesar Bhaat. But now I understand that Kesar bhat is made with rava or semolina.
In northern India, Zharda is made with a slight variation. There is very little difference that I see between Sakhar bhat and Zhrada. A Zharda or Meethe Chawal is drier and more like a pulao.
Desserts in the Indian meal are part of the meal and are not served separate. Like we have Kheer poori, shrikhand puri and halva poori. Deserts like Kari Kadabu, and modak, form a part of the meal. Even Laddu is part of the meal in a sit-down meal that is generally served on a banana leaf.
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Like I said my granny called this rice Kesar bhat and that is stuck in my head. Amma made this Bhaat with such ease that I never thought of it as something I needed to learn.
But when my Mother-in-law made it I paid attention. Anyway, I learned this rice from her. The tips and tricks were what my mother-in-law shared.
Sakhar bhat is common in Goa too any festivity we do have it as one of the desserts.
The first time I made it by myself was when we had guests for lunch and we ran out of this Bhat. I had seen MIL make it and so I quietly made it with my Sis-in-law help. It turned out superb just like what my MIL made.
Make this Sweetened Rice Pulao as it is
These are the ingredients you will need. For quantities please check the recipe card.
To make sakhar bhat you can use basmati rice but any fragrant short grain rice works well.My MIL used Ambe Mohar whereas my mom used basmati rice.
The steps are
My simple method:
The Sugar Syrup method:
You will need
The Sweetened Rice Pulao is an easy and delicious recipe. Makes a wonderful gluten-free dessert that uses very few ingredients. A crowdpleaser that you can make for a celebratory or festive meal quickly.
Nutritional Disclaimer: I am not a certified nutritionist and make no claims to the contrary. Please check with your nutritionist for your dietary needs and restrictions. Ultimately you are responsible for your decisions.
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srividhya gopalakrishnan says
loved your intro.. he he yummy recipe. Perfect for prasadam
Kalyani says
loved the ode to the maid ! no wonder they are called "Maid in Manhattan" ! the bhat sounds delish
Smruti Ashar says
The only kind of sweet rice we make is the one with jaggery. Your version with sugar looks really good. Trying this soon!
Sowmya says
I am sure the proverb, 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder' was written by a woman for her maid! This bhat sound yumm...will try it asap
Pavani says
Yummy looking sakhar bhat. Loved your ode to the maid 🙂
Shobha Keshwani says
Delicious and festive treat. We also make it on all the auspicious days. The texture is perfect and grainy. I shall try out your version too.
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks, Shobha.
Mayuri Patel says
For some odd reason I've not made sweet rice in my kitchen though I love it. Your simple and easy to follow sakhar bhat recipe is a temptation for me to give it a try.
ArchanaPotdar says
I know sometimes we shy away from some recipes. But do try.
Jayashree T.Rao says
Kesar Bhat is quite a name we are used to this dish. The semolina dish is Sheera for us. Your Sakhar bhat looks delicious, we make it quite often during festive days.
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks, Jayashree. Yu have cleared my doubt.
Priya Vj says
Indeed a very rich ,delicious and exotic festive treat with saffron and other spices..makes it an ideal choice for even pot lucks as it is easier to make saakhar bhaat in bulk .
ArchanaPotdar says
I missed the potluck will add that as a category. Thanks, Priya.
Priya Srinivasan says
Love the beautiful color on sakhar bhat archana! Such a simple and delish treat! Would love to try this for upcoming festivities.
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks, Priya.
Seema Sriram says
This rice recipe is so beautifully explained. I will surely make shakkar bhaat for navrathri this time.
ArchanaPotdar says
😀 Thanks, Seema.