Five delicious Bengali-style khichuri (kichuri) recipes

1. Dry Spiced Khichuri, or Bhuna Khichuri Ingredients:

- 1 cup basmati or gobindobhog rice - 1/4 cup yellow lentil moong dal - two bay leaves, four cloves, two cardamom, and one-inch cinnamon - 1 large onion (sliced)

- 1 tsp ginger paste

- 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder - Salt and sugar to taste

- 3 tablespoons oil or ghee - Optional: fried potatoes, boiled egg

Method:

Dry roast moong dal till golden. Dal and rice must be washed and soaked. In a pot, heat ghee or oil. Add bay leaves and whole spices. Cook the onions until golden. Add ginger paste, turmeric, salt, and sugar. Stir in the rice and dal thoroughly. Add 2.5 cups of warm water, cover, and cook on low until done. Serve with fried eggplant or begun bhaja and additional ghee for a garnish.

2. Niramish Khichuri, also known as vegetarian puja khichuri Ingredients:

- 1 cup rice from gobindobhog - ¾ cup moong dal (roasted)

- 1 cup mixed vegetables (potato, cauliflower, peas)

- 2-3 green chilies

- 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp grated ginger

- 1 teaspoon each of turmeric and cumin powder - Salt and sugar to taste

- 3 tbsp ghee

- Cashews and raisins are optional. Method:

Roast dal, then wash rice and dal together. Boil chopped vegetables with a little salt. In a pot, heat ghee, add bay leaves, green chilies, and ginger. Add cumin, turmeric, and sugar. Add rice, dal, sauté for 2-3 minutes. Pour in 3 cups water, salt, and boiled vegetables. Cook till soft but not mushy. Finish with a spoonful of ghee and fried cashews. Serve with tomato chutney and labra during puja.

3. Masoor Dal-er Khichuri (Red Lentil Kh

ichuri)

Ingredients:

- One cup of any variety of rice - ¾ cup masoor dal (red lentils)

- One chopped onion - 1 tsp turmeric

- 1 tomato (chopped)

- 2 green chilies

- Salt to taste

- 2 tbsp oil or ghee

Method:

To wash, combine the dal and rice. In a pressure cooker or pot, heat the oil and add the onions, tomatoes, and green chilies. Cook till soft. Rice, dal, turmeric, salt, and Add about 2.5 cups of water. Cook till soft (1 whistle if using a cooker). This light, quick khichuri is great for sick days or easy dinners. Serve with a boiled egg or fried potato.

4. Chicken Khichuri (Non-Vegetarian Delight)

Ingredients:

- 1 cup basmati rice

- ½ cup moong dal

250 grams of chicken (in small pieces) - 1 onion, 1 tomato, 1 tsp garlic-ginger paste

- 1 tsp turmeric, ½ tsp chili powder

- Salt, sugar to taste

oil or ghee; whole garam masala (cardamom, clove, and bay leaf) Method:

Marinate chicken with salt and turmeric. Wash rice and dal. Heat oil, fry whole spices and onions till golden. Add ginger-garlic paste, tomato, and spices. Cook the chicken until it is browned. Add three cups of water and stir in the rice and dal. Pressure cook or simmer until done. Serve with pickle or salad. Hearty and satisfying .

5. Latka Khichuri (Liquid Khichuri)

Ingredients:

- 1 cup gobindobhog rice

- 1/4 cup roasted moong dal - 1 cup mixed veggies (potatoes, carrots, peas, cauliflower)

- 1 tsp ginger paste

- 1 tsp turmeric

- 2 green chilies (slit)

- ½ tsp cumin seeds

- 1 bay leaf, 2 dry red chilies

- Salt and sugar to preference - 3 tbsp ghee

- Handful of raisins and fried coconut pieces (optional)

Method:

Heat ghee, add cumin, bay leaf, red chilies. Sauté ginger paste and add veggies, turmeric, salt, and sugar. Combine the dal and rice well. Pour 3 cups water, cover, and cook till soft. At the end, add raisins and fried coconut. Finish with ghee. Serve with chutney, payesh, and beguni after making an offering to God.

Final Thoughts:

In Bengali culture, khichuri is more than just a comfort food; it is also associated with the monsoon, rituals, and family get-togethers. Whether you prefer it niramish (pure veg) or with chicken, each version tells a story of warmth and tradition.

Let me know if you want accompanying side dishes or a dessert