Homemade Bengali Khichuri / Khichdi Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup basmati rice or govind bhog rice

• 1/2 cup moong split dal ( yellow dal)

• 1/2 cup chana dal

• 1 cup french beans chopped into big pieces

• 1 cup carrots diced into big cubes

• 1 cup potatoes diced into big cubes

• 1 cup peas ( frozen or fresh)

• 1-2 green chilles chopped

• 1 tsp ginger chopped

• 1 tsp turmeric powder

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 big cinnamon stick

• salt as per taste

For Tadka :

• 1/4 tsp asefodita

• 1/2 tbsp jeera (cumin seeds )

• 1/2 tbsp rai ( mustard seed )

• 1/2 tbsp sauf (fennel seeds)

• 1 tsp methi (fenugreek seeds)

• 1 tsp kalonji (nigella seeds )

• 1 tsp chilli powder ( optional)

Method:

1. Clean, wash the rice and dal together and soak it in some water for half an hour.

2. In a pressure cooker take 12 cups or 6 glasses of water and add all the chopped vegetables, chillies, ginger, the soaked rice dal, turmeric, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and salt. Close the cooker and cook on medium flame upto 3 whistles.

3. Open the cooker once the pressure is released and mix well. To adjust the khichdi consistency some water can be added.

4. For the tadka take a small pan heat 4-5 tbsp ghee add the asefodita then the cumin and mustard seeds when it splutters add the methi, kalonji, sauf and chilli powder. Pour the tadka on the khichdi and serve hot with some pickle and papad.

Note: moong dal can also be dry roasted and once it is cooled it has to be washed and then added to the rice and chana dal.