K for Khichuri - Bhoger Khichuri

For the 11th day of this Journey through the Bengali cuisine, today Alphabet is K. My recipe for K is Khichuri. Khichuri is a comfort food which is very popular all over India but with  very small variations. But I recently came to know that Khichuri means vegetable upma which is made with semolina and vegetables. And the Khichuri which is made with rice and moong dal is known as Pongal a very favorite breakfast.
                                                                 In Andhra cuisine We also call Khichuri as Pongali or pulagam Which is made with rice and moong dal. The difference between Pongali and pulagam is the seasoning. For Pongali we gave a tadka with ghee, cumin seeds, pepper corns, chopped ginger, curry leaves, asafoetida. This type of Khichuri we make for bhog (to offer God), if not for bhog we can add chooped green chillies in the tadka. Now the second one is Pulagam, for this we gave only cumin and ghee tadka and this is a special dish on Bhogi day (A day before Sankranthi). We serve this with a chutney and mixed vegetable curry(Kalagura) and a pulusu ( A tangy tamarid gravy with vegetables. 
                                                                     In Bengali cuisine two types of Khichuri 's  they make one is bhuna khichuri. Bhuna khichuri is a little spicy version,which is made with lightly roasted moong dal and rice with a freshly ground spice powder and vegetables. This is a comfort food and a perfect one pot meal. this is not for bhog (if I am not mistaken).
                                                                      The other Khichuri and my today recipe for K is a Bhoger Khichuri. This Khichuri is specially made on special puja days like Saraswathi puja and Durga puja and that will be the bhog to Ma Durga (Goddess durga). This Khichuri is also made with rice, moong dall and vegetables. Khichuri is served with Labra, chutney And Begun bhaja
                                                                       

So let's check the recipe.....
Recipe adopted from  ---  Home makers diary
INGREDIENTS:---
Basmathi rice   --  1 1/4 cup
Moong dal ---  3/4 cup
Patato  -- 1 medium cut in to cubes
Cauliflowder  ---  1/2 cup ut in to small pieces
Fresh green peas  --  1/2 cup
Tomato --- 1 medium chopped
Ginger ---  2 inch piece grated
Cumin powder --  3/4 tea sp
Coriander powder --- 3/4 tea sp
Ghee  ---  1 tab sp
Bay leaf  ---  1
Dry red chillies  -- 2
Cumin seeds ---  1/2 tea sp
Cardamom -- 2
Cloves --- 2
Cinnamon  -- i inch piece
Turmeric powder  --- 1/4 tea sp
METHOD:---
1. Dry roast moong dal in a pan, wash and soak in water for a while the start boiling with 5 cups of water, grated ginger and turmeric powder.
2. Once the dal is half cooked add chopped tomato and all other vegetables, salt to taste mix well and cook for 7 minutes in a medium heat.
3. Now wash rice and add to the boiling lentils and vegetables, check the seasoning and adjust the salt.
4. When the rice, dal and vegetables are cooked well, heat ghee in a pan add whole garam masla, bay leaf, cumin seeds fry for a while and add cumin powder and coriander powder and 2 tab sp of water and cook till oil separates from the sides and add this seasoning to Khichuri and mix well to combine every thing well.
pour some more ghee on top, if you like fry some cashew nuts and coconut pieces in ghee and pour them on top of the Khichuri
Offer this Khichuri to God and serve...
Serve hot with Labra, chutney and bhaja
Note:-- if you want to cook this khichuri in a pressure cooker after you add all the spices and masalas close the pressure cooker lid and cook for two whistles...

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