The Indian Food You Should Never Bother Buying At Trader Joe's

Kitchari is a dish that tends to trigger extreme reactions. For some, it's culinary minimalism at its finest; for others, it's a boring fallback you only cook when you're out of time, ingredients, or inspiration. The best iteration of this one-pot meal can feel like a warm hug on a cold day. At its worst, it's hospital food. Nothing captures the polarizing nature of this dish than its spot on a list of things to eat when you're sick, as well as a list of favorite foods of world leaders! While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi might swear by kitchari (or khichdi), we'd recommend skipping the heat-and-eat version on the shelves at Trader Joe's. 

From butter chicken to channa masala, we recently ranked 25 Indian foods from Trader Joe's and the kitchari pouch came in last. For those of you who are curious, the paneer tikka masala and spinach rice combo, described as microwavable gold, ranked first. The kitchari at Trader Joe's, unfortunately, lacked the flavors or texture needed to take it beyond emergency dinner status according to our expert.

So, what separates a good kitchari from one that lands in last place on a rankings list? Kitchari is different from most Indian food we see on menus. It's understated and elegant rather than spicy, greasy, and over-the-top. At its core, a kitchari is humble: Rice and lentils cooked together with vegetables. What gives it character is the final flourish — a sizzling tempering of spices bloomed in fat — that can transform this simple one-pot meal into something aromatic and satisfying. Tempering whole or ground spices and aromatics such as cumin, cloves, or garlic in hot oil or ghee helps extract and accentuate the natural flavors of the spices before it goes into the dish, and this process is what takes a kitchari from boring to brilliant. If you aren't familiar with the process of tempering spices, you could add a spoonful of Sichuan chili oil to your kitchari as a flavor-booster.

The other thing that can make a kitchari boring is the texture — or the lack of it. Since the rice, lentils and vegetables are all cooked together, usually in a pressure cooker, the Kitchari suffers from a lack of contrasting textures (it's more like a porridge than a paella). Adding a crunchy element as a garnish or a side, think toasted peanuts or fried poppadams, will instantly elevate your Kitchari dinner. Add a spicy pickle on the side and you're well and truly in business!