Bhuna khichuri is a classic Moong dal khichuri, which is a very popular and comforting traditional Bengali cuisine that is loved by many of us. Bhuna means fried and khichuri refers to a mixture of rice and lentils. Rice and lentils are fully fried before being cooked in water to give pulao its dry and gritty texture; for this reason, the dish is also known as bhuna khichuri. The dish is as wholesome as the name suggests!

Bhuna khichuri is a filling meal prepared with rice and moong beans (daal), which are cooked in a mixture of spices. When you want to stay home on your weekdays and eat a home-style meal on a chilly winter day or even simply a leisurely day, this should be your go-to dish.

Other khichuri recipes’ textures cannot be compared to that of bhuna khichuri. Like pulao, it has a texture that is dry and gritty and a flavor that is exceptional. The ingredients for this dish are rice or chaal (small grain rice) and moong dal (split yellow lentils), which are fried together before being boiled in boiling water with a few particular spices and fried onions.

To make this meal complete, you must always add a side. To serve alongside Bhuna khichuri, usually, egg curry, egg fry, fish fry, chicken curry, beef or mutton bhuna, many kinds of bhorta, and pickles are used. The side dishes only add to the flavor of Bhuna Khichuri.

As a Bengali I grew up eating, Bhuna khichuri as my favorite dish. Bhuna khichuri and beef bhuna are foods that I can eat on a daily basis. As I love my motherland so much and miss Bangladesh a lot, I often make this dish because it makes me feel at home.

In my childhood, my mom used to make many bhortas in a hand grinder called ‘’Pata” and we all siblings and cousins used to wait for when my mom will end up grinding and serving us steamed khichuri. I feel so emotional when I think of these memories. Now that I’m older, I suppose my taste buds don’t mind varying flavors and textures. I now appreciate both of them.

Bhuna khichuri is so delicious it is loved by people of almost all ages and groups. Bengalis have a genuine love for the khichuri recipe. Bhuna khichuri can be made in a variety of ways. Every household has its own unique ways or techniques and cooking preferences for khichuri. In many households, bhuna khichuri is made with lentils besides moong dals (yellow lentils), such as masoor dal (red lentils) or chana dal (split chickpea).

Another interesting fact about bhuna khichuri is it can be made in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian methods. A unique non-vegetarian khichuri recipe that is wildly popular among Bengalis, particularly in Bangladesh, is bhuna khichuri with beef, mutton, or chicken curry.

In order to cook the bhuna khichuri dish, you will need to make a few preparations and allow plenty of time for the meal to cook. It is a true Bengali delicacy that must be made with traditional Bengali ingredients.

Well, the truth is that bhuna khichuri is a difficult recipe that has to be made with the right methods and measurements. The entire dish might crumble if any of them fails.

Let me take your mind off the difficulties. I’ve made the khichuri recipe as easy as possible so that you don’t have to fight with it while cooking. I cooked the khichuri in a pan called “korai”. To make the bhuna khichuri in a pressure cooker quickly, many people try shortcuts. However, I must admit that the texture and flavor of pressure-cooked bhuna khichuri would be different. For the finest outcome, I personally favor the ancient way of preparing.

Enjoy this bhuna khichuri when it is hot by cooking it fresh that day. It’s really delicious and a dish that everyone will love eating! Check out the detailed recipe for the perfect Bengali-style bhuna khichuri below.

• Rice and lentils should always be taken in a 2:1 ratio.
• The moong dal should first be washed after being dry-roasted for a while separately. The khichuri has a richer flavor as a result. Rice and dal should not be combined, nor should they be washed before cooking.
• Rice always takes less time to prepare than roasted moong dal. In order to prepare the moong dal, soak it in boiling water for at least an hour.
• Fry the rice, dal, and masala all at once. This will give the khichuri texture to some extent. The texture of the khichuri will be flawless depending on how well you fried them.
• Always use hot water to cook the rice of khichuri.
• Don’t forget to use ghee, garam masala, and crispy onion fry at the last. These ingredients will give the bhuna khichuri an excellent flavor.