Kichee are rice flour dumplings made in the western state of Gujarat in India. Think of them as mildly spiced steamed rice dumplings that are usually had as an afternoon snack.

The inspiration

I had kichee during my visit to see family in Mombasa, Kenya when my sister-in-law Deepa made kichee as a lunch time snack to accompany other dishes she had made.

These mildly flavored dumplings are great as a snack or for a light lunch. They are also made when one is sick and they want something lightly seasoned, warm and comforting.

Kichee

I’ve always loved these steamed dumplings but never got around to asking my Mom-in-law how to make them, and this time was determined to learn from Deepa.

Kichee is made from rice flour that is flavored with cumin seeds, salt, turmeric, green chilies, and caraway seeds. A thick dough is made by boiling water and baking soda with rice flour until a sticky dough is formed.

This thick dough is then formed into dumplings and steamed until cooked through. Kichee is then served with chutney or can be eaten with a drizzle of a fragrant oil like olive oil, sesame oil or mustard oil.

A Cooking Zen Zone recipe

I watched Deepa make these delicious dumplings from start to finish. What amazed me is how simple the dish is yet tastes so amazing. The ingredients are easy to find and easy to prep.

By no means is this a quick recipe but it’s not hard to make either. It just takes time to cook the rice flour dough and then steam them – the whole process can take 30-45 minutes.

Kichee
recipe contributed by sister-in-law Deepa

Ingredients:

1 cup rice flour
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp asafetida
1/3 tsp baking soda
Make a paste with 2-3 green chilies (remove seeds to keep it mild)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt to taste
3 tbsp oil

Directions:

Start by adding to a pot 2 1/2 cups water – cumin seeds, caraway seeds, green chili paste, fresh cilantro and salt. Bring the water to a boil and then add in baking soda and drizzle of oil.

Next add in the rice flour and stir in. Keep stirring until the rice flour is smooth but not lumpy. Turn the stove off. Dump the dough onto a plate. Then start making dumplings.

You can oil your hands to prevent the dough from sticking to your hand. Place the dumplings in a steamer and steam for 25-30 minutes.

After 25 minutes remove from the steamer and gently place the dumplings on a platter. Kichee are ready to be served.

Serve warm with chutney or any hot sauce you choose.