Khichidi gets Bong: A recipe with a twist

Bengali Khichidi

Ingredients

• ½ cup rice (washed and soaked)
• ½ cup moong Dal (washed)
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• 4 cloves    
• ½ a stick of cinnamon
• 3 cardamoms
• 5 to six cloves of garlic
• An inch of ginger
• A cup of mixed vegetables (potatoes, brinjals, cauliflower, green peas)
• 1 tsp jeera
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 4 cups of water
• 3 tsp of a mixture of coriander and jeera powder
• 1 tsp ghee
• Salt- to taste
• ½ tsp of sugar

Method

• Make a ginger-garlic paste and a paste of cloves, cardamom and cinnamon.
• In a pressure cooker, add 2 tbsp of mustard oil, jeera. Once it splutters, add chopped onion and ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for two minutes.
• Add ½ cup rice and ½ cup dal. The mixed vegetable can be added at this stage — potato, brinjals, cauliflower and green peas.
• Add 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chilli  and 1 tsp ghee. Sauté till the mixture comes together. Add 4 cups water with 3 tsp coriander and jeera powder.
• Cover cooker and after three whistles add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom paste. On slow flame, allow it to cook for 10 to 15 minutes uncovered.
• Add salt and ½ tsp sugar. Serve with potato chips or raitha.