Wash the rice and dhals together until the water runs clear. Soak for 30 mins.
Sort through the greens and remove any hard, woody stems at the bottom. Retain the thinner, more delicate stems that are closer to the leaves. Rinse and chop them fairly finely. Set aside.
If using fresh turmeric, peel and discard the skin. Chop finely and set aside.
Heat ghee (or oil) in a pressure cooker or a heavy-bottomed pot. Add cumin seeds, chopped onion and green chillies. Sauté until the onions soften and lightly brown around the edges, about 5 mins.
Add the minced ginger, garlic, asafoetida, turmeric, chilli powder and salt. Stir for 30 seconds, keeping an eye on it so the pastes don’t burn.
Drain the rice and dhals and add to the pressure cooker. Tip in the greens, tamping them down with a spatula until they start to wilt, about 1 minute. It might seem like a lot of greens at this stage, but they’ll wilt down significantly. Pour in 3 cups of water and stir through.
Clamp on the pressure cooker lid and cook over a medium heat for 10-15 minutes. (If using a regular pot, cook covered until the rice is completely cooked. Check once or twice in between to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn. Add more water if it starts to dry out too much.)
Let the pressure release naturally before opening. After opening, while the khichdi is still very hot, stir vigorously using a ladle or wooden spatula. We’re trying to get the rice and dhals to get creamy, like a risotto. I stir for about 30 seconds or so, and even add a touch of water if it appears too dry. Go by eye here.
Serve immediately with a dollop of ghee on top.