Any puja is incomplete with bhog. Here I share the recipes of a simple bhoger khichuri with labra
How to make Bengali Bhoger Khichuri and Bhoger Labra
Description
Any Pujo is incomplete without Bhoger Khichuri and Labra. Here I am sharing a simple Khichuri recipe with a flavorful Labra.
Labra is a mixed vegetable curry that accompanies Bhoger Khichuri. In our household my mom always made it with the vegetables that I have listed. In addition to this, you can add Radish (Mulo), Pointed gourd (Potol), Greens like spinach or Pui Shaak, Carrots, French beans etc
For the recipe of Bengali Tomato Chutney click here: http://nupursindiankitchen.com/how-to-make-bengali-sweet-tomato-chutney-bhoger-tomato-chatni/
For the rcipe of Bhoger Payesh click here: http://nupursindiankitchen.com/how-to-make-bengali-bhoger-payesh-durga-pujo-special-recipe/
Ingredients
Bhoger Labra
Bhoger Khichuri
Instructions
- Make a coarse paste of ginger and 2 green chillies and set it aside
- Set a pot on medium heat and add 3 tbsp. of mustard oil
- Add panch phoron (a Bengali spice with equal portion of 1) Cumin seeds (jeera) 2) Black Cumin seeds (kala jeera) 3) Mustard seeds 4) Fennel seeds and 5) Fenugreek (methi seeds)
- Add the ginger/green chilli paste
- Add turmeric powder, coriander powder red chilli powder and salt to taste
- Lower the heat and stir fry the spices for ~2 min. You can splash some water to prevent the spices from burning incase the oil is too hot
- Add all the vegetables in (except for the tomatoes). Adding tomatoes in the beginning will prevent the potatoes from boiling easily.
- Turn up the heat to medium and stir fry the vegetables for ~10 min. The potatoes should have turned golden brown in color
- Add some more salt (optional), lower the heat and place the lid on for 7-10 min
- The potatoes should have been ~70% cooked through. At this point, add the tomato pieces
- Stir well and place the lid on for ~5 min or till the vegetables cook through completely
- Labra has a slightly mushy texture, so make sure that the veggies have softened well
- Add sugar to taste
- Mix well and done!
- Make a coarse paste of ginger and 2 green chillies and set aside
- Set a pan on medium heat and add Moong Dal
- Dry roast the dal for 1-2 min or till it starts to smell aromatic. Avoid roasting the dal too long (till the color becomes brownish)
- Set the roasted dal aside in a bowl and add rice
- Rinse the dal and rice in water 2-3 times and then drain the water
- Set a pot on medium heat and add oil
- Add cumin seeds, green cardamoms, cinnamon and bay leaves
- Stir fry the spices for ~20 sec
- Add the ginger/green chilli paste
- Add turmeric powder, cumin powder and red chilli powder
- Lower the heat and stir fry the spices for ~2 min. You can splash some water to prevent the spices from burning incase the oil is too hot
- Add the dal and rice along with salt to taste
- Stir fry the dal/rice and spices for 1 min
- Add ~5 cups of water and wait for it to come to a rolling boil
- Lower the heat and place a lid on
- Cook the Khichuri for ~10 min or till most of the water is absorbed
- Check if the dal is boiled, if not add 1-2 cups of hot water and place the lid on for another 3-5 min or till the khichuri is soft
- Now add ~2 more cups of hot water along with 3 slit green chillies
- Add sugar to taste
- Keep stirting till the khichuri reaches the consistency that you prefer
- Add garam masala powder
- Add ghee
- Make sure the khichuri is not too thick, since it turns much thicker after it cools down