Bengali bhoger khichuri recipe with step-by-step photos: Fragrant, super delicious Bengali khichdi made with rice, yellow moong lentils, vegetables, spices, and ghee.
Bengali Khichuri
Khichuri is the Bengali version of khichdi. Which is basically a porridge of rice, lentils, and vegetables tempered with some aromatic spices. A wholesome, comforting, protein-packed meal that preferably people enjoy during winter and rainy season. It uses either moong dal or masoor dal.
Khichuri in Bengal is prepared in many ways. It ranges from dry to runny and bland to spicy.
Moong dal khichdi is the favorite of Bengalis. They also call it Bhog-er khichuri, Niramish khichuri, or Bhaja moong dal-er khichuri. It is a satvik, no onion-garlic khichdi, made with roasted moong dal, rice, desi ghee, ginger, and veggies such as potato, cauliflower, and green peas. It is flavorful, slightly spicy, and has a mushy porridge-like texture. Usually, it is made for offering to deities on Durga puja, Kali puja, Lakhmi puja, and Saraswati puja. Then people enjoy it as an offering or prasad. This delicious khichdi is generally accompanied by a medley of vegetable fritters or bhaja, sweet tomato chutney, and payesh or kheer.
The recipe I am sharing is the moong dal khichuri served on Durga puja. Follow the recipe step by step to get an authentic bhoger khichuri taste.
Ingredients Needed
Before I get into the full recipe below, here are a few notes about the ingredients you will need to make this Bengali bhoger khichuri recipe:
- Rice: Traditionally fragrant, small-grained Govindobhog rice is used. (or you could use any aromatic rice or Basmati)
- Moong dal: Bengali sona moong dal is used. It is a premium variety of moong dal and is much smaller compared to the normal variant. (Or you could use the normal yellow moong dal.)
- Cauliflower: Half of a medium cauliflower, cut into about 10 big florets (small ones will dissolve)
- Potatoes: 1 medium potato peeled and cut into 4 pieces or 2 small potatoes, peeled and cut in half.
- Green peas: fresh green peas (or you could use frozen)
- Whole spices: bay leaf, cumin seeds, asafoetida(hing), green cardamoms, cloves, & cinnamon sticks are used for tempering. (Skip asafoetida, if not available)
- Ground spices: ginger paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder
- Salt: Regular table salt (or you could use rock salt)
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is used just for flavor only.
- Water: Hot filtered water
- Ghee + oil: Pure cow ghee is typically used. I have fried the vegetables in sunflower oil and used ghee while cooking the khichdi.
Detailed ingredients amounts and instructions listed in the recipe card below.
Preparation Step By Step
To make this bhog khichdi, simply...
- Rinse the rice. Rinse the rice thoroughly in running water and soak in enough water for 20 minutes. Once done transfer to a colander, strain the water completely, and set aside.
- Dry roast moong dal. Heat a pan, once the pan is heated add moong dal to it. Dry-roast the dal for about 2-3 minutes over a low flame while stirring continuously throughout to get an even roast. Do not brown the moong dal. As it takes longer to cook and changes the flavor.
- Soak the dal. Once roasted, transfer the dal to a bowl and allow it to slightly cool down. Now wash and soak the dal in sufficient water for 20 minutes. Then strain over a colander and set aside.
- Saute the veggies. Heat oil in a pan. Add the potatoes and saute continuously over medium to high flame till they turn golden. Remove from oil and set aside.
- Add the cauliflower florets to the same pan, fry till light brown patches appear on the florets, and set aside too.
- Add tempering spices. Heat 2 tablespoon ghee in a large thick-bottomed pot, set on medium heat. Once the ghee melted, add asafoetida, cumin seeds, dried red chili, bay leaf, green cardamoms, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Stir for a couple of seconds or until aromatic.
- Prepare the masala: Immediately add tomato followed by crushed ginger and salt. Saute till tomatoes turn mushy and oil separates.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, and saute for a couple of minutes until oil starts oozing from the mixture.
- Add rice and moong dal. Add drained rice and moong dal. Then saute for 2 minutes.
- Add the veggies. Add fried cauliflower, potato, and green peas. Saute to mix.
- Add water. Add 4 cups of hot water. Stir to mix and simmer the heat. (The heat should be set at low from this point onwards.)
- The water should be slightly salty at this stage. Add more salt if required. Now cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Dal tends to settle at the bottom and stick to the pan, so don’t forget to stir occasionally while scraping the bottom thoroughly.
- Then add the remaining hot water in batches, stir, cover, and cook until you get a creamy texture. Be sure to stir while scraping from the bottom in between. Adding hot water in batches gives the khichri that creamy texture.
- Garnish. Add remaining ghee and sugar. Stir to mix. Then turn off the heat, cover the pan, and allow the khichuri to rest for 2 minutes.
- Serve. Serve hot or warm with your choice of sides.
Notes
- Use hot water and try to add in batches for the perfect texture.
Some favorites to complement this khichdi:
If you try this recipe, please leave a feedback and rating. You can also tag me @spoonofflavor on Instagram.
Recipe
Bengali Bhoger Khichuri Recipe | Bengali Khichuri
Equipment
- Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup gobindobhog rice or any aromatic rice
- 1 cup moong dal
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- salt to taste
- 6 cups hot water, filtered or more
Vegetables
- ½ medium cauliflower cut into 10 big florets
- 1 medium-sized potato cut into 4 pieces
- ⅓ cup green peas
- 1 tomato chopped
- 3 tablespoon ghee/clarified butter
- 2 tablespoon oil
- ⅙ teaspoon asafoetida/hing
Whole spices
- 1-2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 dry red chili
- 3 green cardamoms
- 2 cloves
- 1 thin cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon ginger finely crushed
- 1 teaspoon regular table salt
Ground spices
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ⅓ teaspoon garam masala powder
Instructions
- Rinse the rice. Rinse the rice thoroughly in running water and soak in enough water for 20 minutes. Then transfer to a colander, strain the water completely, and set aside.
- Dry roast moong dal. Heat a pan, once the pan is heated add moong dal to it. Dry-roast the dal for about 2-3 minutes over a low flame while stirring continuously throughout to get an even roast. Do not brown the moong dal. As it takes longer to cook and changes the flavor.
- Soak the dal. Once roasted, transfer the dal to a bowl and allow it to slightly cool down. Wash and soak the dal in sufficient water for 20 minutes. Then strain over a colander and keep aside.
- Saute the veggies. Heat oil in a pan. Add the potatoes and saute continuously over medium to high flame till they turn golden. Remove from oil and set aside.
- Add the cauliflower florets to the pan, fry till light brown patches appear on the florets, and set aside too.
- Add tempering spices. Heat ghee in a large thick-bottomed pot, set on medium heat. Once the ghee melted, add cumin seeds, dried red chili, bay leaf, green cardamoms, cloves, and cinnamon. Stir for a couple of seconds or until aromatic.
- Prepare the masala: Immediately add tomato followed by ginger and salt. Saute till tomatoes turn mushy and oil separates.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, and saute for a couple of minutes until oil starts oozing from the mixture.
- Add rice and moong dal. Add drained rice and dal. Saute for 2 minutes.
- Add the veggies. Add fried cauliflower, potato, green peas. Saute to mix.
- Add water. Add 4 cups of hot water. Stir to mix and simmer the heat. (The heat should be set at low from this point onwards.)
- The water should be slightly salty at this stage. Add more salt if required. Now cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Dal tends to stick to the bottom, so don’t forget to stir occasionally while scraping the bottom thoroughly.
- Then add the remaining hot water in batches, stir, cover, and cook until you get a creamy texture. Be sure to stir while scraping from the bottom in between. Adding hot water in batches gives the khichri that creamy texture.
- Garnish. Add remaining ghee and sugar. Stir to mix. Then turn off the heat, cover the pan, and allow the khichuri to rest for 2 minutes.
- Serve. Serve hot or warm with your choice of sides.
Notes
- Always use hot water and add in batches for the perfect creamy texture.
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