Recipe Description
Bengali Khichdi/Mung dal khichdi is a dish made of rice and roasted mung dal along with vegetables. It is appraised as the purest form of the vegetarian dish as it doesn’t consist of onion and garlic.
Therefore, this dish is also served as ‘Prasad’ (sacrament) to Goddess Durga during Navratri. This dish is consumed by people keeping fast throughout the 9 festive days.
About Bengali Khichdi
As the name gives up ‘Bengali Khichdi’ belongs to West Bengal. Although Khichdi is made at every corner of India in different variants, the nutty-flavored roasted mung dal khichdi is a Bengali variant originated in this land of Goddess, pronounced as “Khichudi” in Bengali accent.
This is a most flavourful and nutritious dish. You can also call it a ‘sick dish’ as it is highly recommended to ill people for faster recovery. Bengali Khichdi is free from carbs hence makes a great dish to consume for people on diet.
Mung dal is a protein-packed vegetarian superfood that comes with amazing nutritional benefits. When compared to other dals mung/moong dal is a healthy food with low carbs.
Its rich nutrient content is believed to treat many ailments and is beneficial in many ways such as; weight loss, improves heart health, control diabetes, improve blood circulation, etc.
This dish normally doesn’t need a side dish as it is flavor-packed itself. But, one must try it with baingan bhaja or yogurt and some roasted papads by the side. In Bengal, many people also prefer to pair it with a dish named ‘Niramish Labra’.
FAQs On Bengali Khichdi
The vegetables added to this dish are all boiled along with the rice and dal, paneer on the other side might not taste that good when boiled along with the following. If you still want to add paneer for more taste, might want to stir fry the paneer in another pan and add it on the top before tempering.
It is absolutely fine if you want to make it with or without vegetables. Although adding vegetables will only enhance the flavors thus, you can make it by only adding the vegetables you prefer to eat.
Bengali Khichdi Recipe
Course: MainCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Medium5
servings15
minutes20
minutesBengali Khichdi/Mung dal khichdi is a dish made of rice and roasted mung dal along with vegetables. It is appraised as the purest form of the vegetarian dish as it doesn’t consist of onion and garlic.
Ingredients
Moong dal- 1 cup
Govinda Bhog rice- 1 cup
Potato cube size- 1 large
Chopped cauliflower- 1 small
Mustard oil- 4 tbsp
Bay leaf- 1
Dried red chilli- 2 nos
Cumin seeds- 2 tsp
Tomato- 1 large
Green peas- 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste- 2 tbsp
Turmeric- 1 tsp
Kashmiri red chilli powder- 1 tbsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsp
Garam masala- 1 tsp
Ghee- 1/4 cup
Salt as per taste
Water as need
Directions
- Rinse Govindo Bhog rice a couple of times in water. Soak rice in water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes drain the water.
- In a pan, take moong dal and roast the dal on low flame. Roast it till they turn light golden and aromatic. Once dal is roasted well, keep aside.
- Now heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker, add cinnamon, bay leaf, and cumin seeds and dried red chili into it, and saute the whole spices till they become aromatic.
- Then add chopped onions and tomatoes and fry it till tomatoes soften and become pulpy.
- Then add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and saute it.
- Now add ginger garlic paste and sauté for some time till the raw aroma of the paste goes away.
- Now add coriander powder, garam masala powder into it and fry it for some seconds.
- Then add chopped cauliflower, cut potato and green peas into the masala and fry it for 2 minutes.
- Now add roasted moong dal and saute it for 2 minutes.
- Now add the drained rice and mix well, then add salt as per taste and water as need into the cooker and stir well. Then pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles on medium flame.
- Once the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid of the cooker. Now check the khichri, if the water is less in the khichri or its dry, you can add hot water into it and mix it properly with spatula-like thick consistency.
- Now Bengali khichri is ready to serve hot with yogurt or brinjal fry or some roasted papad by the sides.
Notes
- If making in a pressure cooker, make sure the water is double the quantity of rice and dal combined.
- Some prefer soupy khichdi, and some prefer dry. Add water accordingly but, also add salt according to your water preference.
