Khichdi is one of the easiest and healthy recipe in India. Rice and lentil or dal are the main ingredients of khichuri. In West Bengal, khichdi is called Khichuri. Bhuni Khichuri is very popular among Bengalies.We use Gobindobhog rice to make this khichuri. This rice is small , white coloured having a nice aroma,mostly cultivated in the northern districts of West Bengal. To make this khichdi we roast moong dal (preferably sona moong dal, easily available moong dal in West Bengal which has a nice flavour) in a pan or kadai. As we roast or bhuno moong dal that’s why we call this khichdi Bhuni khichdi.
Specially this khichdi along with Labra(Bengali mixed vegetable curry)bhajas,chutney and payesh or kheer are offered to Goddess like Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Sarswati as prasad as it is pure vegeterian dish . We do not use onion and garlic to make it.
This khichdi is very popular in a rainy day also with some bhaja or fries like Begun or Brinjal, Parwal, Aloo, Papad and tomato chutney.
You can make it also in the chilled evening of winter adding winter fresh vegetables like cauliflower, peas, beans and carrots.
The most important part of making ‘Bhuni Khichuri’ is the measurements of rice,dal and water. If you take 1 cup rice,you have to take 1 cup moong dal and 4 and 1/2 cups warm water.This khichuri or khichdi will not be watery like others khichuri or khichdi.
Ingredients
- Gobibdobhog Rice -1cup
- Sona Moong Dal or Normal yellow moong dal-1 cup
- Cauliflower florets-1 (cut in medium sized)
- Potatoes – 2 (cut into mefium sized chunks)
- Cashews – 10
- Peas- 1/2 cup
- Bay leaf -2
- Green Cardamom-2
- Cinnamon-1inch
- Cumin seeds-1teaspoon
- Ginger paste-2tbsp
- Cumin Powder -1.5 tsp
- Red chili powder-1/2 teaspoon
- Turmeric powder -1tsp
- Dry red chilly-2
- Salt to taste
- Ghee- 4 tablespoons +1tablespoon
- Mustard oil – 1/4 cup
Instructions
- Take a big pan or kadai, roast yellow moong dal until light brown and release a nice aroma,soak this roasted dal in water for 45 minutes then drain the water and keep aside.
- Soaked gobhindobhog rice in water for 45 minutes.,wash it very well and drain the water.
- Heat oil in a wok/ kadai.
- Add cashews, fry until light brown, remove from heat and keep them aside.
- Add cauliflower florets and potatoes.
- Fry them until light brown and keep them aside.
- Add ghee in the remaining oil in the kadai and mix
- Add dry red chilies.
- Add crushed cardamom and cinnamon.
- Add bay leaf and cumin seeds, let them crackle.
- Add ginger paste,turmeric cumin, red chili powder in a bowl and mix well adding little water before starting to cook this dish, now add this paste,mix well,fry until oil gets separated.
- Add rice and roasted dal,mix well.
- Add fried cauliflower and potatoes.
- Add peas.
- Mix everything together.
- Add salt and sugar, mix well,cook for 5 minutes on low flame,stirring in between.
- Add 4 +1/2 cups warm water, mix well.
- Cover and cook on medium flames , switch off the gas when 3/4 th water will get dried up.
- Add fried cashews and mix.
- Pour 1 tablespoon ghee and mix.
Notes
1.If you want , you can add few raisins with peas. 2.Pour 1 teaspoon ghee on top of each serving.
