Bhuna khichuri recipe

The dry, grainy khichuri: the moong dal is dry-roasted and the grains fried in ghee, so it finishes like a pilaf rather than a porridge.

1 hour and 10 minutesmedium12 ingredients

Ingredients

• 200 g moong dal
• 300 g gobindobhog rice
• 60 g ghee
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 stick cinnamon stick
• 4 green cardamom
• 4 cloves
• 20 g ginger
• 3 green chili
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp bengali garam masala
• 2 tsp salt

How to make Bhuna khichuri

1. Dry-roast 200 g of moong dal in a pan over medium heat for 6-8 minutes until it turns golden and smells nutty. "Bhuna" means exactly this, and it is what keeps the grains separate.
2. Rinse the roasted dal with 300 g of gobindobhog rice (a small aromatic Bengali grain; short-grain basmati is the nearest stand-in) and leave them in a colander 20-30 minutes to drain almost dry.
3. Heat 60 g of ghee and temper 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 green cardamom pods and 4 cloves for 30 seconds.
4. Add 20 g of ginger paste, 3 slit green chillies and 1 teaspoon of turmeric and fry 1 minute.
5. Tip in the drained rice and dal and fry them in the ghee for 5-6 minutes, stirring, until every grain is coated and dry - skip this and you get ordinary wet khichuri.
6. Pour in 750 ml of hot water and 2 teaspoons of salt, bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low for 12-15 minutes.
7. Stop while the mixture is still dry and grainy like a pilaf; the grains should hold their shape, not merge.
8. Off the heat, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of Bengali garam masala and a spoon of ghee, cover 10 minutes, then fluff and serve with fried aubergine.

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