Bhuna Khichuri: A Traditional Bengali Rice And Lentils Recipe For Rainy Days

Bhuna Khichuri is a beloved Bengali dish that combines rice and lentils. Once considered a comfort food, it is now a delicacy enjoyed during the monsoon season. This dish is similar to khichdi but offers unique variations. It can include vegetables, poultry, or meat. Bhuna Khichuri is perfect for a rainy day and pairs well with Bengal fish curry and chutney.

• 1 cup white fragrant rice (e.g., Basmati or short-grained pilau rice)
• 1 cup green gram or red split lentils
• ½ cup split dried chickpeas (optional)
• ½ cup garden peas (optional)
• 2 tablespoons butter or ghee
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 whole green chiles, slit in the middle
• Salt to taste
• 4 cups water for boiling

• 2 bay leaves
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 sticks of cinnamon (1 inch long)
• ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 cm piece of ginger, finely chopped

For Garnish

• 1 medium or 2 small onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter or ghee
• 1 bunch coarsely chopped fresh coriander leaves

Procedure

Preparation

1. Rinse rice, lentils, and chickpeas separately in cold water.
2. Dry rice in a colander or on a flat surface.
3. Saturate lentils and chickpeas in water for 30 minutes.
4. Drain lentils and chickpeas, then roast them briefly until aromatic; set aside to cool.
5. Heat water in a kettle to use later. Keep warm but not boiling.
6. Semi-crush cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves.

Cooking

1. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add bay leaf and semi-crushed spices; once they start to sputter, add sliced ginger and cumin. Stir for 1–2 minutes until ginger has a nutty aroma.
2. Add green chili and garden peas, and stir once or twice.
3. Add rice to the mixture and stir gently for 2–3 minutes, ensuring the oil coats it thoroughly.
4. Add lentils, chickpeas, and salt; stir again for another minute or two.
5. Add hot water to the pan. The water level should be about an inch above the mixture. Lower the heat slightly, cover, and simmer until done. Check regularly to ensure rice does not burn at the bottom. Rice and lentils are done when there is no hard part in rice; it should be medium firm, each grain easily separable but not very soft or sticky. This should take around ten minutes.

Topping

1. While the rice is simmering, heat the remaining butter in a separate frying pan. Fry the onion on medium heat until it starts to brown.
2. When the rice mixture is done, top with onion and accompanying oil. Garnish with coriander.
3. Turn down the heat to the lowest setting and cover until served.

Nutritional Values

This recipe allows flexibility with ingredients like butter which can be replaced with vegetable oil or omitted altogether for an oil-free version. Dry toast spices if opting for no oil. Slicing onions may irritate eyes; ready-made fried onions are available at ethnic ingredient shops.