Bengali Niramish Bhoger Khichuri | Authentic Bhoger Khichuri Recipe

Saraswati Puja is around the corner and what better way to celebrate it but with the traditional bhoger khichuri/khichri- which is a staple for all Bengali households on any Puja day. This is a broth of rice,lentils and vegetables tempered with Indian spices and cooked in a concoction of ghee and mustard oil. This is an Indian take of a veggie risotto and is immensely popular as a stand-alone nutritious meal for people of all ages. Milder forms of khichdi is served as infant food and also to aged people because of it's nutritional values and ease of digestion. This is also consumed by most Bengalis on Hindu festivals. Go ahead- try this out at home this Pujas!

Ingredients:

• Ghee/ clarified butter - 2 tbsp
• Sugar - 2 tbsp
• Green peas - 1/2 cup
• Pumpkin - 4-5 quarter pieces
• Water as required
• Cauliflour florets - 4-5 medium size
• Potato - 4-5 quarter pieces
• Bay leaf - 2 broken
• Sona moong dal/Moong dal- 1 cup
• Cumin powder - 1 tbsp
• Dried red chillies - 2
• Gobindo Bhog Rice/Basmati rice Instead - 1 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Whole green chillies - 3-4
• Mustard oil - 2-3 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp