Bengali khichdi recipe with step by step photos. Bhaja muger dal khichuri is a delicious one-pot meal of rice, moong dal and vegetables. This Bengali khichuri recipe is always made during durga puja festival. It is served as bhog to ma durga along with some other Bengali delicacies. A satvik, vegan and no onion no garlic recipe.
The Bengali khichdi has an addition of mixed vegetables that we generally add to pulao like – cauliflower, green peas, potatoes, carrots etc. I just had potatoes, cauliflower and peas and hence added these to the khichdi.
Adding the vegetable to this rice and lentil preparation makes it a wholesome one-pot meal. You can even skip adding vegetables if you prefer.
Again like the cholar dal, in this recipe, panch phoron is not used. The khichuri is made fragrant by tempering whole garam masala or spices like bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
The moong dal is roasted first and this imparts a lovely warm aroma and taste to the khichdi. this is also a no onion no garlic recipe. The consistency of the khichdi can be adjusted to one’s preference. The khichdi that is served during durga puja has a porridge like consistency. To suit the family’s taste buds, I did not make a porridge like khichdi.
I have adapted this Bengali khichuri recipe from two of the Bengali cookbooks which I have. Mix and matched both of them to get the best recipe.
This roasted Bengali khichdi is served with baingan bhaja or aloo bhaja. A bowl of yogurt and some roasted papads by the side would also go very well with the khichdi. I had made both fried as well as baked baingan bhaja to go with the khichdi.
How to make Bengali khichdi
1. Rinse 1 cup of basmati rice or govind bhog rice a couple of times in water.
2. Soak rice in water for 30 minutes.
3. After 30 minutes drain the water.
4. In a pan, take 1 cup moong dal (split and husked moong dal). Roast the dal on low flame.
5. Roast and stir moong dal often till they turn light golden and aromatic. just keep stirring so that they are uniformly roasted.
6. Soon the dal will begin to change color. Once the dal is roasted well, keep aside.
7. When the lentils cool down, then rinse them in the water a couple of times.
8. Sprinkle some water on them and keep aside.
9. Just before you begin tempering, drain the water from moong dal and keep aside.
Making Bengali khichuri
10. Heat 3 tablespoons ghee or oil in a pressure cooker.
11. Add 1 inch cinnamon, 2 green cardamoms, 3 cloves, 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf) and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. Saute the whole spices till they become aromatic.
12. The cumin should also crackle when sauteing the spices.
13. Now add 1 inch grated ginger.
14. Saute for 5 to 6 seconds or till the raw aroma of the ginger goes away.
15. Then add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chili powder and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing). Addition of asafoetida is optional.
16. Saute for 2 to 3 seconds.
17. Then add 2 small tomatoes which are chopped. Also add 1 chopped green chili.
18. Saute till the tomatoes soften and become pulpy.
19. Add 1 to 1.5 cups chopped mix veggies like cauliflower, potato and green peas.
20. Stir and saute for a minute.
21. Then add the roasted moong dal.
22. Saute for 2 minutes.
23. Now add the drained rice.
24. mix well.
25. Add ½ teaspoon sugar and salt as required.
26. Next pour 5 cups water.
27. Stir well.
28. Then pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles on medium to high flame.
29. Once the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid of the cooker.
30. Serve the Bengali khichdi with baingan bhaja or yogurt and some roasted papads by the side.
Few more rice recipes for you!
- Khichdi – made with mung lentils and rice.
- Bajra khichdi
- Palak khichdi
- Masala khichdi
- Kolkata biryani – vegetarian version
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Bengali Khichdi
By Dassana Amit
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice or govind bhog rice (basmati chawal ya govind bhog chawal)
- 1 cup dhuli moong dal (split and husked moong dal)
- 3 tablespoon ghee or 2.5 tablespoon oil
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 green cardamom
- 3 cloves
- 1 tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds or cumin powder
- 1 inch grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) - optional
- 2 small tomatoes, chopped (optional)
- 1 green chili, chopped
- 2 small to medium potatoes, ½ cup cauliflower and ½ cup green peas or 1 to 1.5 cups of chopped mix vegetables like cauliflower, peas, potatoes and carrots
- ½ teaspoon sugar or as required - optional
- rock salt (edible and food grade) or sendha namak as required
- 5 cups water
Instructions
preparation
- Rinse and soak rice in water for 30 mins.
- In a pan slow roast the moong dal till some of the lentils turn light golden and aromatic.
- Keep on stirring to get uniform roasting and browning.
- When the lentils cool, rinse them in water. Sprinkle some water on them and keep aside.
- Just before you begin tempering, drain both the moong dal as well as rice and keep aside.
making khichuri
- Heat ghee or oil in the pressure cooker.
- First fry the whole spices till they become aromatic - cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and cumin.
- The cumin should also crackle when frying the spices.
- Now add the grated ginger and saute for a 5-6 seconds or till the raw aroma of the ginger goes away.
- Add turmeric, red chili powder and asafoetida and saute for 2-3 seconds.
- Then add the tomatoes and green chilies and saute till the tomatoes become soft.
- Add the chopped veggies - potato, cauliflower and peas.
- Stir and saute for a minute.
- Add the roasted moong dal and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add the drained rice and stir well.
- Pour 5 cups water and add salt & sugar.
- Stir and then pressure cook khichuri for 4-5 whistles on medium to high flame.
- Once the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid of the cooker.
- Serve the khichuri with baingan bhaja or yogurt and some roasted papads by the side.
Notes
- To get a porridge like consistency in the khichdi you can add an additional ½ to 1 cup water.
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Hi Dassana .. I always follow your recipes and have always got the best compliments from friends .. I am planning to make this for tomorrow’s Lakshmi Puja .. can you please tell me if rock salt is mandatory , or can I use white salt instead?
Thanks in advance!
thank you neeta. i would suggest to use rock salt. but if you do not have it, then you can use white salt.
The recipe came out pretty authentic.anyways most of recipes are fool proof ..thanks a ton
thank you nupur for this lovely feedback and the rating as well. happy cooking.
Absolute authentic bengali kichudi. I made it and it was loved by all at home. Thank you so much!
Welcome Sushmita. Glad to know that everyone liked this Bengali Kichudi Recipe.
Didi you make these khichuris without the vegetables too
you can skip veggies if you want.