Pish Pash Khichdi

Recipe: A Classic Anglo Indian One Pot Chicken Dish

Khichdi recipe finds its Anglo-Indian manifestation in a one-pot chicken dish called pish pash, even if it isn't quite khichdi. It's a comforting one-pot meal of rice, chicken and potatoes, cooked with milk and a handful of whole spices. People often compare it with khichdi, kedgeree and call it the Indian risotto, given the dish’s texture and consistency. Pish pash belongs to the world of Anglo-Indian recipes, where British and Indian kitchens overlapped, and has a reputation as a nourishing dish for those down with a flu. It’s one of those one-pot chicken recipes that one might want to try when the weather transitions from hot to cold and seasonal illnesses spike. It can be consumed alongside healing kadhas, congee and other nourishing gruels as well as when you crave a protein-rich dish that is comforting and easy-to-digest. There's no frying of spices in hot oil and no ground masala in this dish. Instead, the dish uses a spice-infused liquid, made using whole spices simmered in water, that is then reduced. Onion, garlic and ginger go into the spiced water, then the marinated chicken, then the potatoes, the soaked rice and finally the milk. Each addition goes in at its own time, which is why the dish needs so little fuss despite the number of steps. The finished dish is meant to be soft and a little messy. Like a good khichdi recipe, it's cooked until the rice is overcooked and mushy, and everything simmers on a low flame with the lid on.