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Khar
খাৰ · Assam's raw papaya and lentil dish cooked with alkaline banana-peel ash
Every traditional Assamese lunch begins with khar, a mouthful of it mixed into the first ball of rice to settle the stomach. The defining ingredient is khar itself, an alkaline liquid filtered from the ash of dried bhim kol (seeded banana) peels; it gives the dish its soft, slightly soapy, earthy taste. Raw papaya and a handful of lentils are cooked in it with mustard oil, garlic and green chilli until silky. At home in Guwahati or Jorhat it is made several times a week. Chef's tip: outside Assam, use a small pinch of bicarbonate of soda in place of khar; too much tastes metallic, so start with ⅛ tsp.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 1 ½ tbsp mustard oil in a pan over a high heat until it smokes, then lower to medium. Add ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds and 4 garlic cloves and fry for 30 seconds until the garlic is pale gold and the fenugreek is reddish, not black.
Step 2: Add 10 ½ oz raw green papaya, 2 green chillies, ⅜ in ginger and ¼ tsp ground turmeric and stir-fry for 3 minutes until the papaya glistens.
3 minStep 3: Add 2 ⅛ oz split red lentils (masoor) or moong dal, 2 cups water and ¾ tsp salt, bring to the boil and simmer, half-covered, over a medium-low heat for 12 minutes until the dal is soft.
12 minStep 4: Stir in 2 tbsp khar (banana-peel ash water) and cook for 5–6 minutes more until the papaya is very soft and the dish looks creamy and pale green-gold. Common mistake: adding khar at the start; it breaks the dal down to a grey sludge and the papaya never holds a shape.
6 minStep 5: Lightly mash a few pieces against the side of the pan. It should be loose, like a thick dal. Serve a small spoonful with the first rice of the meal, with a drop of raw mustard oil on top.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khar take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 split red lentils (masoor) or moong dal?
- Yellow split peas (soak 2 hours and cook longer).
- What can I use instead of fenugreek seeds?
- Leave them out, or add a little extra mustard seed (you lose the slightly bitter, maple-like note).
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