The monsoon season

In West Bengal, the monsoon is a much anticipated season after a long and scorching summer. Of all the sights and smells of this lovely season, the one that lingers in my mind is the unique smell after the first few drops of rain touched the hot soil.

I think all Bengalis have only two things on their mind when monsoon arrives….their beloved khichuri and ilish mach bhaja (a wholesome meal of rice and lentil cooked together with a little bit of spice and fried hilsa fish). Being in Canada, I don’t get hold of hilsa fish all the time so I replace it with onion pakoras (fritters).

I could eat my mother’s khichuri every single day. Whenever I saw a few drops of rain, I would ask her “Maa khichuri banabe?” (Maa can you make khichuri?). Maa used to say “roj brishti porle ki roj khicuri khabi?” (Do you have to eat khichuri even if it rains everyday?).

So here it goes:

Khichuri (Rice cooked with lentils)

Basmati Rice:         100 gams
Moong daal (yellow lentil): 30 gams
Masur daal (red lentil): 30 gams
Onion (large):         2 
Potatoes (small):         2  
Fresh Coconut: 2" piece 
Turmeric powder:         1 tsp. 
Red chili powder:         1 tsp. 
Cumin seeds:         1 tsp. 
Garam masala:         1 tsp. 
Garlic:         6 cloves 
Ginger:         1 piece 
Green chilies : 5-6 nos. 
Ghee As required 
Oil As required 
Salt to taste

Directions:

Wash and soak the dal and rice, chop onion and green chilies finely. 
Mince the coriander leaves, ginger and garlic. 

Peel the potatoes and cut into small cubes. Chop the coconut into fine pieces. Fry onions in a combination of 1 tablespoon ghee-1 tablespoon oil. When the onions are light brown add the minced garlic, ginger and green chilies.

Then add the garam masala together with the chopped coconut. Fry for a while. Pour warm water . First add moong daal and after 10 mins add masur daal and rice. Add water till it is about 2 inches above the level of the rice. If the water dries up, more warm water may be added.

Add potato cubes and salt. When the water starts bubbling, lower the heat and simmer till rice and daal are cooked.

Serve hot with onion pakoras. (I will post the recipe soon)

P.S You can add some other vegetables like cauliflower, peas, beans etc. in your Khichuri . Just cut them into small pieces and add them along with the daals.