Bengali
Bhaja Muger Chichi (Bengali Moong Dal Khichdi)
- Duration: 30 minutes
- Serves: 2 to 4 people
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Spice Level: Low
Authenticity Slice
The key to this Khichdi’s uniqueness is in the special fragrant rice used in it - it is called ‘Govind Bhog’. However, if it is not available, you can use another rice variety as well. To get a porridge-like consistency, you can also pour in a little extra water while boiling it.
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Trivia Tadka
Bhaja Muger Chichi is a must-have dish during Durga Puja celebrations, though it is a dish popular otherwise as well. It is served along with some other delicacies as ‘bhog’ to the Goddess Durga. A tempering of whole garam masala and other spices like bay leaf, cinnamon, clove and cardamom make this dish appetisingly fragrant.
Ingredients
- Govind Bhog rice (1 cup)
- Green gram (moong dal) (1 cup)
- Ginger (adrak), grated (1)
- Tomato (2)
- MTR Haldi Turmeric Powder (½ tsp)
- MTR Lal Mirch Red Chilli Powder (½ tsp)
- Green chillies (hari mirch), finely cut (1)
- Potato (2, small)
- Green peas (matar) (½ cup)
- Asafoetida (hing) (a pinch)
- Cinnamon (dalchini) powder (a pinch)
- Green cardamom (hari elaichi) (2)
- Clove (laung) (3)
- Bay leaf (tejpatta) (1)
- Cumin seeds (jeera) (½ tsp)
- Ghee (2 tbsp)
- Sugar (¼ tsp)
- Water (-)
- Rock salt (sendha namak) (to taste)
Method
- Dry-roast the dal in a kadhai for 3 to 4 minutes, or till it has started letting off a heady aroma and has turned light golden brown in colour.
- Next, wash the dal and keep aside.
- Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Then, add in the paanch phoran (dalchini, elaichi, laung, tejpatta, jeera) and let them crackle. Once the crackling has stopped, add in the hing, ginger paste and green chillies and keep sautéing over low heat for about half-a-minute.
- Then, add in the tomatoes, the MTR Haldi/Turmeric Powder, and the MTR Lal Mirch/Red Chilli Powder. Mix well, pour in about a quarter-cup of water and continue cooking for another minute.
- Once done, mix in the potatoes, matar, roasted dal and rice. Season with salt as per taste. Pour in enough water to cook the Khichdi.
- Stir and then pressure-cook the mix on a medium flame, timing it to 4 to 5 whistles, before turning off the flame.
- Let the pressure settle down.
- Serve the Bengali Khichdi with baigan bhaja or curd and some roasted papads on the side.
