Making mealie rice kitchree (kitchari) - Dharia kitchree, a South African traditional meal

Mealie rice is used in South African cooking as a substitute for rice in traditional Indian dishes. Maize grows more readily in South Africa and when Indians were here a rice made from pounded up maize was an easier and cheaper substitute to find than imported rice. So mealie rice became a staple for a long time in Indian history in South Africa. However, with more free trade and cheap imported rice, mealie rice fell out of favour.

Dharia Kitchree is therefore sometimes considered a more outdated meal or one that touched on nostalgia. However there are many who enjoy this more than normal long grained rice...

Ingredients:
1 cup pea dhal
2 cups mealie rice
1/2 tsp hurdee powder (tumeric)
1 tbs salt
1 tbs margarine

To Braise
1/2 cup oil
1 med onion sliced
3 dry chillies
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp jeera powder

We served nice and hot straight from the pot accompanied by buttery bhaji (herbs). Goes really well with tomato chutney - with the more traditional dry fish chutney being a firm favourite!