It's been raining a lot lately. As it pours outside with dark clouds surrounding the environment, Bengalis everywhere crave for Khichuri. A piping hot plate of Khichuri is just what the heart desires when a Bengali comes home soaked from the rain. Some traditional songs in the background, and a quick nap if someone can squeeze it in, is the definition of a classic rainy day well-spent for Bengalis.

Rain is almost synonymous with eating Khichuri for Bengalis. It is the ultimate comfort food for rainy days, or any day as a matter of fact! Can a simple bowl of rice and lentils bring comfort to the distressed soul? Yes, some food are like that, primitive in from and yet so nourishing and comforting! The golden pot of Khichuri in which rice and lentils are cooked together till they lose some of their individual character and become one- the true comfort food ever known to man.

Khichuri is a traditional Bangladeshi recipe. This is a wholesome comfort meal of rice, lentils and vegetables, altogether. There are different ways of cooking Khichuri. Plain Khichuri generally prepared with rice and moong or masoor dal is the best food we can have when we are sick. It is one of the first foods that we give to our babies when they are 6-9 months old.

Khichuri is the easily chewable and digestible. That's why it is the perfect meal for kids and elderly people. Khichuri is packed with lots of nutrition. People generally add vegetables to enhance its nutrition level. Khichuri also happens to be gluten free!

PANCHADAL KHICHURI

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice
• 2 tbsp split Bengal gram (chickpea)
• 2 tbsp skinned green gram or yellow moong dal
• 2 tbsp split green gram or green moong dal
• 2 tbsp pigeon pea or arhar dal
• 2 tbsp pink lentil or masoor dal
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• ½ cup potatoes, cut into cubes
• ½ cup capsicum, cut into cubes
• ½ cup tomatoes, cut into cube
• ½ tsp garlic paste
• 1-2 green chillies
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp ghee
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 2 cloves
• 3 dry red chillies
• 2 bay leaves
• A pinch of asafoetida
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red
• chilli powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• 4-5 cup water
• Chopped coriander leaves

Method

Wash the chickpeas and soak in water for 2 hours. Combine rice and all types of dal except chickpeas. Wash them properly. Soak using enough water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes drain the water and keep it aside. Heat the ghee and oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds when oil is medium hot. When seeds start to splutter add bay leaves, dry red chillies and cloves. Add onions, sauté till the onions are transparent. Add garlic paste and sauté till the raw aroma goes away. Add potatoes and capsicum, sauté for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and mix well. Add all the spices and mix well. Add drained rice and the dals. Mix well. Add 4-5 cups of water. Add salt and green chillies. Cover and cook till done. Garnish the Panchadal Khichuri with fried onion and coriander leaves. Serve hot with a dollop of ghee.

ARHAR DAL ER KHICHURI

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice
• ½ cup pigeon peas or arhar dal
• 2 tbsp ghee, ¼ tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ cup sliced onion
• 2 clove garlic, chopped
• 4 green chillies
• Salt to taste

Method

Pick and wash the rice and dal, soak together in water for half an hour. Put the rice mixture in a colander to drain the water. Heat the ghee in a heavy based saucepan and add the cumin seeds. When the seeds splutter, add the onion and garlic, cook till golden brown. Add the rice and dal mixture, sauté over high heat till well mixed and excess water dries up. Add salt, green chillies and water. Bring to a boil, covered. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, by which time the Khichuri should be cooked. When it is done garnish with some ghee and serve.

KEEMA KHICHURI

Ingredients

• 2 cup aromatic rice
• ½ kg ground meat (beef, mutton or chicken)
• 1 cup red lentils (masoor dal)
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
• Salt to taste

Method

Wash the rice and lentils in a bowl. Add water and soak the rice and lentils for 20 minutes. Heat the oil in a deep pan. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they stop spluttering. Add chopped onions and fry until transparent. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 1 minute. Add the remaining spices and mix well. Add the tomatoes and cook until the oil begins to separate from the spices and tomatoes turn pulpy. Add the ground meat and cook till the meat turns evenly brown. Add the rice, lentils and 4 cups of water. Season with salt. Mix well and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes, then lower the heat to a simmer. Put the lid on and cook until the rice and lentils gets soft. When it is done, turn off the heat and allow the Khichuri to rest without removing the lid for 10 minutes. Stir before serving.

KHUDER BHAAT  (SPICY BROKEN RICE)

Khuder Bhaat/ boukhudi or boua is a typical Bengali delicacy. It is typically cooked in mustard oil but you can use vegetables oil or ghee. This dish is specially served with different types of bharta, dal chorchori, dim bhaja etc.

Ingredients

• 2 cup broken rice (khud)
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• ½ tbsp grated ginger
• ½ tsp grated garlic
• 4 dry red chillies
• 3 tbsp mustard oil
• 4 green chillies
• 3 cup hot water
• Salt to taste

Method

Wash the broken rice and put into a strainer. Heat oil in a pan. Add the dry red chillies. Add onion, ginger and garlic. Fry for 3 minutes. Add broken rice and salt. Fry for 2 minutes. Add water and green chillies. Cook it for 6-7 minutes with the lid on. After 7 minutes give a nice stir and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, with the lid on. When it is done, serve hot with bharta of your choice.

BEEF BHUNA KHICHURI

Ingredients

• 1 kg beef
• 3 cups rice
• 2 cups moong dal
• 3 cups sliced onion
• 2 tbsp ginger paste
• 3 tbsp onion paste
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp mace
• 7-8 green chillies
• 3 cardamoms
• 2 inch-long cinnamon sticks
• 4-5 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ cup oil
• 4 tbsp ghee
• Salt to taste

Method

Roast moong dal on slow heat until it is crisp and golden in colour. Wash and soak in water at least 15 minutes, and drain the water. Soak the rice for 15 minutes, wash and strain it. Marinate the meat with all spices except cumin powder for at least half an hour. Heat oil in a pan. Fry the sliced onion till it becomes golden brown. Take out the fried onion from oil and keep aside. In the same oil, add the marinated beef and bay leaves. Sauté till oil comes out. Add three cups of water and cook until the meat is tender with the lid on. Add rice, lentil and water. Mix well and cook for 10 minutes with the lid on. Add roasted cumin powder and fried onion. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes. When it is done, garnish with fried onion. Serve hot with salad.

SINDHI KHICHURI

Sindhi style Khichuri, called Patri (liquid like) Khichuri is generally made during summers and enjoyed with a variety of vegetables, ranging from turnips to spinach, smooth gourds to potatoes. The rice and lentils are cooked together along with some black pepper corns, till creamy, and usually served with a dash of ghee, pickle and papar. A light meal in summer, simple, healthy and delicious. Generally lentils and rice are cooked in plain water. But I used vegetable stock. To make quick vegetable stock, just chop vegetables like carrot, beans, cauliflower, cabbage, pressure cook with 6 cups of water till 8-10 whistles of the pressure cooker. Strain and reserve this liquid to use for cooking rice and dal .

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup rice
• ½ cup red lentil, ½ cup moong dal
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp chopped onion
• 2 clove garlic, chopped
• 6-7 black pepper corn
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 5 cup vegetable stock
• Salt to taste

Method

Mix rice and lentils. Wash and soak in water for 20 minutes. Drain and keep aside. Heat ghee in a pan. Add pepper corn, onion and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes, and add rice and lentils. Mix well and fry for few minutes. Add turmeric powder, vegetable stock, salt and mix well. Close the lid and cook for 30-35 minutes. Open the lid, just mash the Khichuri with wooden masher till creamy. Some prefer it without the mashing, so choose the way you want to eat. The consistency of this Khichuri is thick paste like, so if needed add some water and boil for 5 minutes. Serve immediately with a dash of pure ghee, along with any vegetable of your choice. Hot Sindhi Khichuri tastes equally good with pickle.

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Food and styling: LS Desk