When Ramadan is here then there is one dish that is always on the table and of course that’s khichuri. A traditional, nice and easy Bengali style khichuri recipe that has been around for a very long time. Rice and lentils cooked together until all soft and tender. This Bengali style khichuri is a nice and easy comfort food for many when it comes to opening their fast during the month of Ramadan. Hearty and healthy which makes this the perfect side dish for an iftar meal. Also not to forget how easily khichuri can be made with very little effort.

Khichuri has a subtle but yummy taste. You can get a hint of ginger flavor from the dish. And a mix of flavors from the rice and lentils which are cooked with a touch of turmeric. The bagar or tadka at the end of cooking with fried onions give the dish an overall flavor which finishes the dish off perfectly.

There are heaps of texture in the khichuri especially if you want to keep the khichuri slightly coarse without over blending the rice and lentils. So you still have that slightly runny but soft bite from the rice and lentils. Very appetizing with the flavors and textures put together. It’s a must try recipe for Ramadan and you can even enjoy this recipe during other times of the year. It taste great with beef curry too.

The ingredients needed to make nice and easy Bengali Style khichuri

Khichuri requires very little ingredients and these include:

Rice, I use basmati rice this gives a better aroma to the dish.

Red lentils, masoor dhal. Cooks very easily and gives the perfect texture to the dish.

Turmeric powder for the color and flavor.

Ginger, this is essential in khichuri which gives the khichuri that warm and slightly spicy and zesty flavor.

Salt to taste

Water to cook the rice and lentils in.

Onions fried in hot oil. The oil and fried onions are are added at the end of the cooking and simmering of the rice and lentils. This is called bagar also known as tadka. The onions and oil mixture give the dish a great flavor bringing the dish together.

Butter or ghee added right at the end which also adds to the flavor.

Cooking procedure

Rice and lentils are measured, usually less lentils to rice quantity. The grains and lentils are rinsed under water and soaked in water for 10-13 minutes. This helps to soften the grains and lentils.

In a sauce pot the rice and lentils are added with water, turmeric powder, salt and minced ginger.

The heat is turned to high on the stove and the ingredients come to a boil. Then simmer on medium low heat for an additional 10-12 minutes.

Then you can use a whisk to mix and stir until the rice and lentils start to break up. The more you stir, the more well blended the rice and lentils will become. You can decide on how fine or coarse you would like the mixture to be. Then hot water is added if the consistency of the khichuri needs to be adjusted. Remember much of the water will have evaporated and after mixing the khichuri together the consistency might look a little drier so you can adjust to your preference here. Not too runny and not too dry would be best to go with. Let the khichuri simmer on a very low heat for an additional 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile you can get the bagar/tadka ready. Here thinly sliced pieces of onions are cooked and fried in hot oil. When the onions turn to a golden brown color you can add them into the khichuri mixture and take the khichuri off the heat adding a tablespoon of butter or ghee. One final stir, nice and easy Bengali style khichuri is done.

Any leftovers can be stored in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make sure to heat up thoroughly before serving.

Bengali style khichuri recipe

Recipe by ShemaCourse: SidesCuisine: BangladeshiDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Easy Bengali Khichuri Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup Basmati rice

• 1/4 cup red lentil/masoor dhal

• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 1 teaspoon minced ginger

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 litre of water

• half an onion thinly sliced

• 2-3 tablespoons of oil for frying the onions

• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

• Wash and rinse the rice and lentils under water and soak in water for 10-15 minutes
• Drain the water and transfer to a deep sauce pot
• Add in the rice and lentils
• Add in 1 litre of tap cold water
• Add in the turmeric powder, minced ginger and salt
• Turn the flame to high and bring the water and all the ingredients to a boil
• Lower the flame and simmer for 10-13 minutes, partially covering the pot
• Uncover and using a whisk mix and stir until the rice and lentils are blended. The more you stir the more fine the khichuri will be. Less stirring will give you a coarse texture
• Add more or less water if needed depending on how you prefer the consistency of the khichuri to be.
• Simmer the khichuri on a low flame/heat for an additional 10-12 minutes, stirring once in between
• Heat the oil in a small frying pan and add in the sliced onions
• Fry until golden brown and once the simmering process is done you can add in the oil and fried onions into cooked khichuri
• Add in 1 tablespoon of butter, stir the khichuri
• Khichuri is done
• Serve and enjoy.

Notes

• Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Try Bengali style khichuri with beef curry