Bhuna Khichuri (Bengali Roasted Moong Dal and Rice)
Bhuna khichuri is probably my favorite rice and lentil dish. It is a deeply comforting and nourishing recipe. I often make it when I want something healing. If I have homemade ghee on hand I add a dollop on top of the rice. I always feel better after I eat this khichuri!
There were various versions of this dish made in my family, but there was only one version I really disliked, the one that was made when someone was sick. It was almost like a medicine, since it was made with masoor dal, which breaks down more easily and is easy to digest. The “medicinal” version was watery and bland—rice and lentils were simply boiled together until they became total mush, with the consistency of thick soup. Unfortunately, even if you were not sick you had to eat the same food as your siblings, since no one was going to cook anything special for you. I thought that was so unfair—not only did you have to go to school, since you were not sick, but when you came home you had to eat the bland rice and lentil dish.
Bhuna khichuri is completely different. Cooked with a lot more care, it has a wonderful smoky, earthy fragrance as the lentils are dry-roasted before cooking. The roasted dal does not break down and keeps its shape. It is garnished with the fried onions. We would eat this year-round, but my memory is of us eating this rice dish during the late monsoons, which was always malaria season and invariably a time when many people became unwell. This was usually served in my house with a couple of accompanying bhortas.
This recipe was excerpted from 'Ammu' by Asma Khan. Buy the full book on Amazon. This book was selected as one of the Epicurious top cookbooks of 2022.
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What you’ll need
Moong Dal
$12 At Amazon
Turmeric
$9 At Spicewalla
Green Cardamom Pods
$13 At Spicewalla
Bay Leaves
$6 At Spicewalla
Cinnamon Sticks
$9 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a dry karai or wok, dry roast the moong dal over medium heat. My mother insists the dal should always be roasted in a cast-iron pan or karai—any pan with a thick base will ensure that the dal does not burn. You need the heat of the pan to be evenly distributed and diffused. The dal should slowly darken and start to emit a beautiful earthy, smoky fragrance. Keep stirring the dal to ensure that all the grains are roasted evenly. Turn the roasted dal onto a large plate and leave to cool.
Step 2
Very gently wash the rice and cooled dal in a bowl of cold water. Change the water several times until it is no longer cloudy. Leave the dal and rice to soak in cold water while you prepare the onions.
Step 3
Heat the oil or ghee in a large pot over medium heat and fry the onions until they are caramelized. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a plate, leaving as much of the oil in the pot as possible. Separate the onions with a fork and spread across the plate so they crisp as they cool (do not use paper towels).
Step 4
Drain the dal and rice from the water and spread them on paper towels. Gently pat them dry with more paper towels.
Step 5
Put the pot with the oil or ghee back over medium heat. Add the cardamoms, cassia bark, and bay leaves and then the drained dal and rice. Add the turmeric and gently stir to coat the dal and rice with the oil and spices. Add the warm water and salt and bring to a boil, then cover with a lid and simmer for at least 20��30 minutes, stirring regularly, until all the water has been absorbed.
Step 6
Add the grated ginger and green chiles and gently mix them through the rice and lentils. Put the lid back on and turn off the heat. Leave the pot on the stovetop, covered with a clean kitchen cloth, for about 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with the caramelized onions.
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