Bengali Bhuna Khichuri / Khichdi

Name: Bengali Bhuna Khichuri / Khichdi
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1/2 cup basmati rice; 1/2 cup moong dal (split green gram); 1 cup cauliflower florets; 10-12 french beans, cut into 1" piece; 1 carrot, cut into 1" piece; 1 potato, chopped; 3 tbsp. mustard oil; 2 bay leaves; 2 dry red chilies; 1" cinnamon; 2 green cardamoms; 4-5 cloves; 1 tsp. cumin seeds; 2 green chilies, slit; 1" ginger, julienne; to taste salt; 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder; as required coriander leaves, green chilies and lime wedges to garnish; 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder; as needed begun bhaja / aloo bhaja (eggplant fry / potato fry) to serve; 1 tsp. ghee

Bethica Das @kitchen_flavours

Sharjah (UAE)

#ricecontest - A simple and hearty comfort food that tastes so delicious any time and every time I prepare. It is a wholesome and balanced meal in itself with the rice, lentils and veggies. Just a tsp. of ghee brings out the actual essence of this yummy dish. Nothing can beat having this humble khichuri along with some begun bhaja (fried eggplants) or aloo bhaja (potato fry).

Bengalis usually offer the vegetarian version of this khichuri (please note - there is no onion or garlic) to Goddess Durga during the Dashera / Durga Puja festival. Khichuri, in general, is usually had during rainy season. There is a certain bond between khichuri and the monsoon. No sooner it starts raining, the only one thing that comes to our mind is "KHICHURI".

Today I bring to you my version of Khichuri, which is not runny or soft as is usually prepared. It is a bit on the dry side called (Jhor jhore in the Bengali lingo) just like pilaf. I prepared some begun bhaja too to go with it. Traditionally Gobindo Bhog rice is used to prepare it, but in the absence of it I made use of Basmati rice,

Bethica Das @kitchen_flavours

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Ingredients

1/2 cupbasmati rice
1/2 cupmoong dal (split green gram)
1 cupcauliflower florets
10-12french beans, cut into 1" piece
1carrot, cut into 1" piece
1potato, chopped
3 tbsp.mustard oil
2bay leaves
2dry red chilies
1" cinnamon
2green cardamoms
4-5cloves
1 tsp.cumin seeds
2green chilies, slit
1"ginger, julienne
to tastesalt
1/2 tsp.turmeric powder
as requiredcoriander leaves, green chilies and lime wedges to garnish
1 tbsp.roasted coriander-cumin powder
as neededbegun bhaja / aloo bhaja (eggplant fry / potato fry) to serve
1 tsp.ghee

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Steps

1

Dry roast the moong dal till light brown. Soak the rice and dal for 30 minutes. Heat 2 tbsp. oil and saute the potatoes and cauliflower separately till light brown. Keep aside.
2

Heat the remaining oil and fry the cumin seeds, bay leaves, ginger, dry red chilies, green chilies, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Saute for a few seconds till the crackling stops.
3

Add the soaked and drained rice and moong dal. Saute for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups water, salt, coriander-cumin powder, turmeric powder and the fried veggies, carrots and beans (Preserving few to garnish).
4

Pressure cook for 2 whistles. Drizzle ghee and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with begun bhaja (fried eggplants), lime wedges and green chilies.