Bengali Khichuri

1. 1
   prep · ~19 min

   Roast and soak the dal and rice.

   1.Dry roast the moong dal in a pan over medium heat until lightly golden and nutty (3-4 min).

   2.Wash the roasted dal well and soak it for 15 minutes.

   3.Wash the rice gently and soak it for 15 minutes.

   4.Drain both before cooking.

   TIPRoast only until fragrant and pale golden; dark roasting gives the khichuri a bitter taste.
2. 2
   saute · ~6 min

   Lightly fry the vegetables.

   1.Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.

   2.Add potato and cauliflower and cook until lightly colored (4-5 min).

   3.Stir in the green peas for 1 minute.

   4.Remove the vegetables to a plate.
3. 3
   temper · ~2 min

   Make the spice base.

   1.Add ghee to the same pot.

   2.Add bay leaf, cumin seeds, cinnamon, green cardamom, and cloves.

   3.Let the spices sizzle until fragrant (30-40 sec).

   4.Add grated ginger and green chili and cook for 30 seconds.

   TIPKeep the heat medium so the whole spices bloom in the fat without burning.
4. 4
   saute · ~4 min

   Cook the tomato and powdered spices.

   Add the chopped tomato and cook until soft. Stir in turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, sugar, and salt, and cook for 1-2 minutes until the masala smells rounded and no raw spice remains.

5. 5
   mix · ~2 min

   Mix in the rice and dal.

   Add the drained rice and moong dal to the pot. Mix gently for 1-2 minutes so the grains are coated well with the spiced ghee and masala.

6. 6
   boil · ~7 min

   Add water and bring the khichuri to a boil.

   Return the fried vegetables to the pot and pour in the hot water. Bring everything to a steady boil, stirring once to make sure nothing sticks at the bottom.

7. 7
   simmer · ~18 min

   Cook until soft and thick.

   Lower the heat, cover partially, and simmer until the rice, dal, and vegetables are soft and the khichuri turns creamy, about 15-18 minutes. Stir once or twice and add a splash of hot water if it thickens too much.

   TIPBengali khichuri should be soft and moist, not dry like pulao.
8. 8
   garnish

   Finish with garam masala and a little ghee.

   Sprinkle garam masala over the khichuri and stir gently. Add a few drops of ghee on top for the final aroma.

9. 9
   serve

   Serve hot.

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