Bhaja Mung Daal Khichuri
This Indian comfort food has got several names - khichdi, kichuri, khichdee, etc. depending on the different regions in India. There are also several ways to prepare the dish. You can prepare with different kinds of lentils. Sometimes vegetables are added to make it more filling and sometimes, it’s left to just rice and lentil. Bhaja Mung Daal Khichuri literally translates to roasted yellow mung lentils and rice stew. It is comfort on a plate for most Bengalis. It’s prepared on several special occasions, mostly festivals. No matter how much meat or fish we Bengalis crave, during the time of festivals, we all desire the humble khichuri. Served piping hot, smooth to the palate along with some crispy fried veggie to compliment the texture. It’s the simplest kind of feast.
Ingredients needed for Bhaja Mung Daal Khichuri
Split Yellow Mung BeansShort grain white riceGheeBengali Five SpiceBay LeavesDry Red ChiliGingerSalt and Turmeric Powder
Roasting the Mung Beans
Roasting the Mung Beans is what makes this Khichdi/Khchuri so special. Mung Beans when cooked will turn creamy but after roasting, you will also get that beautiful toasty aroma! ONE keynote to keep in mind is that you dry roast the Mung Beans and then wash it gently without scrubbing too much or else the aroma goes away.
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What is a good ratio of Mung Bean to Rice ?
My Mom always used 1:1 ratio and that’s exactly what I follow. Although any kind of rice can be used to prepare the dish, it’s always recommended to use short grain rice so both rice and lentils cook together evenly. We Bengali do prefer using a special variety called Gobindobhog, which are short grain rice with a sweet aroma.
Khichuri is best paired with papadum and Indian Pickle (aachar). We Bengalies love to pair it with Begun Bhaja and Labra. And during winter, we love to pair it with Ilish Maach Bhaja Bhaja Mung Daal Khichuri can also be prepared by adding some seasonal vegetables to make it more filling! I personally love it simple with the ghee tadka on top! I love to slow cook to prepare Khichuri, but occasionally I don’t mind using pressure cooker too. Topped with the essence from the spices, little heat from red chili and lots of ghee for that robust aroma.
