Durga Puja 2012: Bhoger Khichuri- Version 1

By Simon ( as in Simone) 23:48 Bengali vegetarian, Durga Puja 2012, Festival and Food

In my house, we usually make two kinds of khichuri/ khichdi- one that is little runny and with lots of vegetable and other one little fluffy like Pulao and without vegetable. The runny khichuri which we call ‘patla khichuri’ will be made on a rainy day and days when my ma is not in a mood to cook something nicer. We would eat it with something fried like an omelette, fried potatoes, fried chicken etc. The fluffy khichuri which is called ‘bhuna khichuri’ is made on occasions like puja for offering or ‘Bhog’, as lunch on a special day (not the dinner. It is preamp for dinner at night). When it is cooked for puja, it will be accompanied by fried vegetable always in odd number, so like it will be accompanied by 3 or 5 or 7 kind of vegetable fries. Usually potatoes, pumpkin, aubergine, pointed gourd, okra, sweet potatoes, kakrole (Teasle gourd) etc are fried to eat with Bhoger khichuri. However when it is cooked to eat on special lunch for mortals like us ( not goddess) , it is accompanied by egg dopiyaja, chicken kosha or mutton kosha, fish, tomato chutney and the list can go on.

Today I am making bhuna khichuri and this version of the recipe is made for offering or ‘bhog’ is my house. Puja or no puja, this preparation of khichuri is something that I have not had anywhere other than in my family. Maybe it is a very Bangal or Noakhali thing. I do not know! All I know is I like this one for its rich texture and flavor. Add few leaves of tulsi pata (Basil that is used for prayers in Bengal not Italian basil though) and it smells like puja.

Ingredients:

200gm godindo bhog or atop or basmati or any other flavored rice

200gm Mung dal (yellow lentil) (you can give 150gm too but when I am cooking for bhog I use rice and dal in equal quantity)

4/5- cardamom

2 inch- cinnamon

2- Bay leaves

2-dry red chili

2-green chili

2 inch-ginger, grated

1- teaspoon turmeric

½-teaspoon red chili

1-table spoon oil

1-tablespoon ghee

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash the rice and soak it for 10 mins

2. Dry roast the mung dal until they a slightly golden and releases nutty flavor

3. Wash the roasted mung dal and keep aside

4. Heat oil in a deep bottom pan

5. Add bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, red chili and grated ginger.

6. Fry until you can smell the cinnamon and cardamom

7. Add hot water ( I usually add 1: 2 ration of rice and water)

8. When the water boils, add the mung dal

9. When the mung dal is half cooked add the rice

10. Add turmeric, chili powder and little bit of ginger

11. When almost cook add the green chili and add the ghee

12. Cover and let it dry and become fluffy

13. Add the tusli leaves and cover, it will smell like pujo.

14. Serve with panch meshali sobji ( see blog for recipe)

Bengali vegetarian, Durga Puja 2012, Festival and Food

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3 comments

sangeeta25 October 2012 at 11:07
Lovely pictures Simon :-)
Khichuri amar fave food holo :-)
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