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Bhuna khichuri
Fried rice and moong dal
Bhuna khichuri: Dhaka's fried rice-and-moong khichuri for rainy days
In Dhaka, the first heavy monsoon downpour sends people home craving bhuna khichuri, and Eid mornings in old Dhaka often start with a pot of it too. Unlike the loose, porridge-like khichdi of north India, the Bangladeshi bhuna version is dry and fluffy: dry-roasted moong dal and short-grain rice are fried in ghee with onions and whole spices until fragrant, then cooked with just enough water so the grains stay separate. Serve it hot with begun bhaja, a bhorta or two and a spoon of pickle. Chef's tip: roast the moong dal in a dry pan until it smells like toasted nuts before you wash it; that roasted note is what makes this khichuri taste of Bangladesh.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz split yellow moong dal
- 9 oz short-grain aromatic ricekalijira, chinigura or another short-grain rice; basmati works
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 1 tbsp mustard oil or vegetable oil
- 2 onionsthinly sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick5 cm
- 4 green cardamom podslightly crushed
- 4 cloves
- 1 ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 4 green chilliesslit
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 ¾ cups hot water
- ½ tsp garam masala
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Dry-roast 5 ½ oz split yellow moong dal in a heavy pot over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until it turns a shade darker and smells nutty. Tip it out, rinse it with 9 oz short-grain aromatic rice in a sieve until the water runs almost clear, and leave to drain.
6 minStep 2: Heat 3 tbsp ghee and 1 tbsp mustard oil or vegetable oil in the same pot over a medium heat. Add 2 onions and fry, stirring often, until deep golden at the edges. Lift out a spoonful for the garnish.
10 minStep 3: Add 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 green cardamom pods and 4 cloves and fry for 30 seconds until they crackle and smell sweet.
1 minStep 4: Stir in 1 ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell is gone, then add 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp chilli powder and 1 tsp ground cumin with a splash of water so the spices don't scorch.
2 minStep 5: Add the drained rice and dal with 4 green chillies and 1 ½ tsp salt. This is the bhuna (frying) stage: stir gently over a medium heat for 4–5 minutes until the grains are coated, turn opaque and start to stick slightly. A common mistake is to skip this and add water straight away, which gives a soft, mushy khichuri.
5 minStep 6: Pour in 3 ¾ cups hot water, bring to a boil, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes without stirring.
15 minStep 7: Lift the lid: the water should be absorbed and small steam holes should dot the surface. Sprinkle over ½ tsp garam masala, cover again and rest off the heat for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, top with the fried onions and serve.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bhuna khichuri take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of short-grain aromatic rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
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