Degchi
A dry-roasted rice and moong dal one-pot, cooked with whole spices and ghee until soft but not soupy. It is Bangladesh's favourite rainy-day comfort food, usually eaten with fried egg, beef bhuna or just a fried green chilli on the side.
Quick answer: 55 min in total · serves 5 · main ingredients: Rice, Split mung beans, Onion, Ginger · amounts in metric and US
Ingredients
- 300 g 1.5 cup Rice, washed and drained
- 200 g 1 cup Split mung beans, dry-roasted
- 2 pc 2 pc Onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp Ginger, made into a paste
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp Garlic, made into a paste
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Red chilli powder
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 2 pc 2 pc Bay leaf
- 1 pc 1 pc Cinnamon
- 4 pc 4 pc Cardamom
- 4 pc 4 pc Cloves
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp Clarified butter
- 3 tbsp 3 tbsp Cooking oil
- to taste to taste Salt
- 4 pc 4 pc Green chilli, left whole (Optional)
Steps
Timers run only while this tab is open. The Degchi app keeps them running on a locked phone.
- Dry-roast the moong dal in a dry pot over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it turns pale gold and smells nutty. Do not let it darken.⏱ Roasting dal · 3 min
- Wash the rice and roasted dal together, then soak in water for 10 minutes.⏱ Soaking rice and dal · 10 min
- Heat oil and ghee in a deep pot; fry the sliced onion until golden.⏱ Frying onions · 4 min
- Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and ginger-garlic paste; cook for a minute.⏱ Frying the spices · 1 min
- Add turmeric, red chilli powder and cumin with a splash of water; cook until the oil separates.⏱ Cooking the masala · 2 min
- Add the drained rice and dal; stir for a minute to coat everything in the masala.
- Pour in about 1 litre (4 cups) of hot water, add the whole green chillies and salt; bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until the rice and dal turn soft and slightly mushy. Add a splash more hot water if it dries out before the grains are soft.⏱ Simmering the khichuri · 20 min
- Turn off the heat and let the khichuri rest covered for 5 minutes; stir in a spoon of ghee before serving.⏱ Resting · 5 min
Cook this in the app — get Degchi on Google Play
Get it on Google PlayNot sure you have everything? Check this against your pantry
Frequently asked questions
How long does Bhuna Khichuri take?
55 minutes in total: about 15 minutes of prep and 40 minutes of cooking.
Is Bhuna Khichuri hard to make?
Degchi rates it easy. The method has 8 steps, and 7 of them have a timer you can start on this page.
How many people does Bhuna Khichuri serve?
This recipe serves 5. Use the toggle above the ingredient list to see the amounts in metric or US measures. For more or fewer portions, scale every amount in the same proportion, or use the servings control in the Degchi app.
Is Bhuna Khichuri halal, vegetarian or eggless?
It is marked halal in our recipe data. It is vegetarian. It has no egg. It has no beef. Check the labels on any packaged ingredients for your own needs.
What will I probably need to buy for Bhuna Khichuri?
Everyday staples that Degchi counts as pantry basics: turmeric, red chilli powder, cooking oil, salt. Spice-box items: cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves. Fresh items you will probably need to buy: onion, ginger, garlic, clarified butter. Lentils, grains and other dry goods: rice, split mung beans.
Any tips for making Bhuna Khichuri?
Serve with fried egg, beef bhuna or a side of fried whole green chillies, as is traditional on a rainy day. Dry-roasting the dal is what makes this "bhuna" khichuri; it gives a nutty flavour and keeps the grains separate. Roast until pale gold, since a dark dal tastes bitter. Short-grain aromatic rice such as gobindobhog is the traditional choice.
Notes and questions
No notes yet. Ask a question about this recipe, share a tip, or tell us if something needs fixing. Our team reads every note before it appears.
Ask a question or add a note
This recipe in other languages
Used in these posts
Bengali Fish Curry With Frozen Fish (US and UK)
Fresh rohu is hard to find abroad. Frozen steaks work if you thaw them well, dry them, and treat them gently in the pan. Here is the method and the swaps.
Bengali Khichuri Recipe for a Rainy Day
Bhuna khichuri is the dry-roasted, ghee-finished rice and moong dal pot Bengali families cook when the rain sets in. Here are the amounts, the timing and what to serve beside it.
Machher Jhol Recipe: Thin Bengali Fish Curry
Machher jhol is the thin, turmeric-yellow fish curry Bengali homes cook on an ordinary weekday. Here are the two versions in our library, side by side, and the small moves that stop the fish breaking.
Shorshe Ilish: Bangladeshi Hilsa in Mustard Sauce
Hilsa in mustard gravy is the celebrated dish of Bengali cooking. Here is how to make the paste without bitterness, cook the fish without breaking it, and eat it safely around the bones.
Dhaka-Style Tehari Explained: Mustard Oil, Beef and One Pot
Dhaka tehari cooks small beef cubes right into the rice with mustard oil and green chilli. Here is what makes it different from biryani, where the name comes from, and how to cook it.
Cooking terms in this recipe: Hari mirch (green chilli) · Dalchini (cinnamon) · Tej patta (bay leaf) · Laung (cloves)
Popular home recipes
More with rice More with ghee More with lentils More with onions