Bhoger Khichuri / Bhaja Muger Khichuri

I wait all the year for this Bhoger Khichuri. Earlier Ma used to make this on Nabami...and now I make this during the Durga Puja. Bhoger Khichuri is nothing but a simple mish-mash of rice and dry roasted nutty aromatic yellow split lentils with a little sprinkle of turmeric powder and red chilli powder and finished off with our very own garam masala powder. And since we are by birth dedicated potato lovers...and had forgotten that this staple veggi is not at all native...dunk the khichri with nice and beautiful peeled, halved and fried starchy potatoes, cauliflowers and green peas as well. And as if...we are still not satisfied...we bring out the papad from the corner of the cupboard (as khichdi is the only time...we recall that there exist something like papad), then fry it knee deep oil or just place on flame to get some nice chars, and the chutney...pineapple or tomato, seriously anything will do...since a hint of sweetness can never do any harm and some sudh desi forever pure forever Bengali “Gawa Ghee” to drizzle on top of that yellow mess...oh....are you salivating now?? Then hop onto the recipe right away!!!

Step By Step Process:

Shallow fry the potatoes until golden.

Shallow fry the potatoes until golden.

Heat the ghee and add the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves, green cardamoms and ginger and green chilli paste. Saute for a minute.

Add the dry roasted moong dal and fry for 2 minutes.

Add the washed and drained rice.

Fry for 2 minutes.

Add the fried veggies.

Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder.

Add green peas.

Add water, salt and garam masala powder. Cook until the cooker blows 2 whistles

Bhoger Khichuri

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 cup of gobindobhog rice / any short grained rice

¾ cup of yellow split moong dal

1 inch ginger - paste

2 green chillies - paste 

2 potatoes – peeled and halved

2 cups of cauliflower florets

1 cup of green peas

2 tbsp of pure desi ghee

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp whole cumin seeds

1 large cinnamon stick

3 green cardamoms

3 cloves

2 bay leaves

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp homemade garam masala powder

Salt

Method:

Dry roast the moong dal on low flame in a skillet until a nutty smell arises. A few of the lentils might get browned. But do not brown them too much. Transfer them to a bowl and let them cool down. Once they cool down wash and rinse the lentils with water. Drain the water and keep the lentils aside.

Wash and rinse the rice with water until clear water runs through.

Soak the washed rice in water for about 30 minutes.

Blanch the cauliflower florets in boiling water for 5 minutes. Then drain the water and keep the florets aside. Smear the blanched florets with some salt and turmeric powder.

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and shallow fry the potatoes until lightly golden. Take them out of the cooker and keep aside in a bowl.

Shallow fry the florets in the same oil until they become nicely golden. Take them also out of the cooker and keep with the fried potatoes.

Add the ghee to the remaining oil.

Add the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, green cardamoms, cloves and ginger-green chilli paste.

Sauté for half a minute or until the ghee becomes aromatic.

Add the dry roasted moong dal and fry them for a minute.

Add the soaked rice and fry them until the grains look separate and make a husky sound while stirring.

Add the turmeric powder and red chilli powder and stir to mix.

Add 4 cups of water. If you want your khichdi to have a pulao like texture then add only 3 cups of water. We like our bhoger khichuri a little sticky.

Add salt and garam masala powder.

Add the fried cauliflower florets, fried potatoes and green peas.

Close the lid and cook the khichdi until the cooker blows 2 whistles.

Switch off the flame and let the cooker sit until pressure settles down.

Serve the khichdi hot with some papar, chutney and ghee.