Niramish Bhuna Khichuri (Veg Khichdi Bengali Style)

Bhuna Khichuri is a very famous one pot meal in West Bengal and Bangladesh. This is not the typical runny khichdi found in other parts of India as well as the "Bhoger Khichuri" served during various festivals in Bengal. In my family, they are fond of both the types, but I kind of prefer the bhuna khichuri a bit more. It tastes much better if you ask me. I thought of preparing this because it was raining, and it is a norm in a bong family to consume khichuri with some fries if it rains and temperature drops. My father wanted to have the typical bhoger khichuri for dinner with either begoon bhaja (fried brinjals) or papor bhaja (poppadom/ papad fries). I asked him whether he is fine if I prepare bhuna khichuri, and he agreed after a while. 😀

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 3 small, peeled and cut into halves
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Chillies - 3-4, slit longitudinally
Short grain rice - 1.5 cups
Masoor dal/ pink lentils - 1/2 cup
Bay leaves - 1
Cumin seeds/ jeera - 2 teaspoon
Salt - as per taste
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Dried red chillies - 3
Water - 3 cups
Ghee - 2 teaspoons
Cinnamon stick - 1
Clove - 2-3
Oil - 1.5 tablespoon

Procedure:

Wash the rice properly and keep it aside. Repeat the same process with the dal. Now in a pressure cooker, add the oil, and for tempering add the bayleaf, one dried red chilli, the cloves and the cinnamon stick. Stir it till you get a nice aroma and then add the cumin seeds to it. Once it begins to splutter, add the grated ginger to it and cook it till the raw smell goes off. Now add the potatoes to it and cook for 2 minutes followed by the rice and dal. Cook for 2 minutes or so, and stir continuously. Add a splash of water if needed. Add the salt and turmeric powder at this stage. Mix the ingredients well on a low flame. Add the slit chillies now. Add the water and put it on pressure till 3-4 whistles. Allow the steam to release on its own. Now, put half the amount of ghee in a pan and heat it, add some cumin seeds and the remaining dried red chillies to it. Fry for a minute and immediately add it to the khichuri and mix well. Keep the lid on for a minute or two before serving it hot.