CURRY AND SPICE: KHUDER CHAL DAL SHOBJI KHICHURI

WHY ON EARTH YOU HAD TO BUY KHUD / BROKEN RICE?

No one in the family asked me this question; because they do not know anything about the kitchen, neither bothered! I was asking myself why did I buy it? I do not even remember when exactly did I buy a packet of broken rice! In our families, we got broken rice as a waste while the rice grain bought was cleaned taking in a Kulo, a traditional Bengali item used as a home decor, for household work, in rituals! What is a waste for us was the major means of survival for the needy! Most of the time, our mother would give it away to our helpers! Even the ration shops would buy it from the middle-class households may be to sell it to those who needed! That broken rice can be eaten by the middle class people I knew after coming to this island! The Mustafa Centre proudly sells it, the South Indians uses broken rice in a couple of their recipes! As part of my food blogging journey, the recipes I saw made with it left me with the urge to buy it! I used one day in something and then forgot all about it! Because we are not used to having it, not much of interest did grow inside me surrounding it! Just like Dalda, I may not bring it again! But it cooks really quick!

WHAT WAS I DOING SINCE THE MORNING?

The workload is not too hard, what is annoying me is my inability to manage some time for a swim or walk! I am just stuck in my home, eating a lot and doing normal household works! My weight machine is not showing me any hope that can bring me a smile! How can one if they eat carbs & starch each & everyday? I cooked this hotchpotch, I cooked chirer polao / beaten rice pilaf this morning! The son never used to like the latter, I made it less! Now that he went to the college, I make it for us!

I have to eat everything that a diabetic is supposed to avoid! Then, why should I waste a container full of rice, it's the Goddess of Wealth for us! Also it is not that bad a thing! I am more interested about using it in a pudding! May be I would prepare an island style porridge / congee bowl too topped with fried ikanbilis, scrambled eggs! You can make good use of this broken rice, just that it feels extra at this home! Our helpers in our younger days were happy to get it, fed their children! I wish I could send few sacks full of it to the earthquake hit countries! This is why I do not waste food items, what I throw may be a requirement for the other to survive!

WHAT IS THIS KHUDER CHAL DAL SHOBJI KHICHURI?

Not only Southern India, Bangladesh too uses it extensively I think! Both the places are among the largest consumers of rice! Bengalis in West Bengal too eat rice, but there a middle class family's buying power is in the first place used buying a better quality, high priced rice! There broken rice / khuder chal remains a means for the poor! They say broken rice have higher amount of potassium that keeps good our cardiac health, also helps in weight loss! I do not buy these theories unless medical experts assures us of! I made a rice, mixed lentils & vegetables hotchpotch on a normal day! I see it is not an uncommon recipe! Below is the way how I cooked the vegan & gluten-free dish KHUDER CHAL ER SHOBJI KHICHURI in the easiest way, not a family recipe though!

INGREDIENTS :

BROKEN RICE / KHUDER CHAL : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

DE-HUSKED MOONG DAL : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP

DE-HUSKED YELLOW SPLIT PEA DAL : 1/4 MEDIUM TEA CUP

CARROT CUBE : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP

POTATO CUBE : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP

GREEN PEA : 2 TBSP

CHOPPED TOMATO : 1 SMALL TEA CUP

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 3-4

CASHEW NUT : 7-8

RAISIN : 10-12

CORIANDER POWDER : 1 TSP

CUMIN POWDER : 1 1/2 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP

CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP

DRY RED CHILLI : 2-3 [HALVED]

BAYLEAF : 1-2

CINNAMON STICK : 2-3 ONE INCH PIECE

GREEN CARDAMOM : 2-3

CLOVE : 3-4

SALT : AS REQUIRED

SUGAR : 2-3 TSP

OIL : 3-4 TBSP

GHEE OR BUTTER TO GARNISH [OPTIONAL]

PROCEDURE :

I have taken the broken rice, both the lentil varieties together in a deep bottomed vessel, washed few times, added enough water & put for boil! I half-covered it with a lid, kept the heat between low & minimal!

Meanwhile, I cut, washed got all of the required vegetables ready on the kitchen top! I would marinate them with salt & sugar only before starting to fry!

When the rice & lentils would start boiling, I added the tomato pieces, salt & most of the turmeric! I half covered again! If you cover full, water would spill!

In a wok, I heated the oil & fried some cashew nuts & raisins at minimal heat, took them out to use later!

I tempered the same oil with the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, green cardamoms & cloves!

I marinated the potato & carrot pieces with a bit of salt & turmeric! I gave a stir & added the vegetables, folded in well! I had let them cook well at the minimal heat!

Once the rice & lentils was done, I switched off the burner! The yellow split pea lentil would be half done & thats the way it should be!

Once the potato & carrots are done, I added the green peas, gave a stir! Thereafter, I added the slitted & washed green chillies, dry red chillies[should have added them in the tempering]!

I stir fried for 2-3 minutes & added them to the boiled hotchpotch, folded in well! I added the spice powders & sugar, adjust the salt if only required!