Khuder Bhaga with Bhorta Platter: Nusrat Jahan’s Culinary Journey

Contributor’s Bio:
“আসসালামু আলাইকুম। আমি নূসরাত জাহান। একজন রন্ধনশিল্পী ও নারী উদ্যোক্তা। আমার জন্মস্থান ঝালকাঠি। বর্তমানে ঢাকার গ্রীন রোডে পরিবার নিয়ে বসবাস করছি। আমার স্বামী একজন চাকুরীজীবি। আমার একমাত্র মেয়ে অহনা রাসিন সিম্রান ভিকারুননিসা নূন স্কুল এন্ড কলেজ ধানমন্ডি শাখায় পঞ্চম শ্রেণীর ছাত্রী। আমি ২০১৮ সাল থেকে হোম মেইড ফুড নিজে বিজনেস করছি সেই সাথে আমার বাসায় গৃহিনী ও ছাত্রীদের জন্য বেকিং ট্রেনিং এর ব্যাবস্থা রয়েছে। আমার পেইজের নাম Simran’s kitchen & Training Center ফেইসবুক আইডি লিংক https://www.facebook.com/nusrat.jahan.75470316?mibextid=ZbWKwL বিজনেস পেইজ লিংক https://www.facebook.com/SimranKitchen?mibextid=ZbWKwL https://www.facebook.com/nusrat.jahan.75470316 #thewannabecook#recipecontest#homechef
আমি ছোট বেলা থেকেই যৌথ পরিবারে মানুষ হয়েছি। সকাল হলেই প্রতিদিন রুটি বা পরোটা খাওয়া হতো না। পরিবারে সদস্য সংখ্যা বেশি থাকায় পান্তা ভাত ভর্তা, ডিম ভাজি আবার কখনো গরম ভাত, ডাল, ডিম এগুলোই খাওয়া হতো। তবে এসব খাবারের পাশাপাশি সপ্তাহে দুইদিন আমার মায়ের স্পেশাল একটা আয়োজন ছিল আর সেটা হলো খুদে ভাত ও বিভিন্ন ধরনের ভর্তা সাথে ডিম ভাজা ও থাকতো।
গ্রাম বাংলার মানুষের সুস্বাদু ও মজার একটি খাবার হচ্ছে খুদের ভাত। আর বরিশাল অঞ্চলের এটি একটি জনপ্রিয় খাবার। ধান ভাংগানোর পর চালের যে ভাংগা অংশ পাওয়া যায় সেটাই হলো খুদের চাল। এটা আমরা প্রতিনিয়ত ভাত রান্নার জন্য যে চাল ব্যাবহার করি সেটা দিয়েও হয় আবার পোলাও এর চালের ও খুদ হয়। আর এই খুদের চাল দিয়েই রান্না করা হয় খুদের ভাত। মায়ের হাতের সেই অসাধারণ খুদের ভাত ও ভর্তার স্বাদ আজও ভোলার নয়। তাই আমি ও আমার বাসায় মাঝে মাঝে এই খুদের ভাত বিভিন্ন ভর্তার সাথে পরিবেশন করে থাকি। আমার মায়ের ঐতিহ্যবাহী রান্নাকে সবার কাছে পরিচয় করিয়ে দেয়া এবং এর অসাধারণ স্বাদ উপলব্ধি করার জন্যই আমার এই প্রচেষ্টা। আমার হাসবেন্ড ও বাচ্চা ও খুব পছন্দ করে এই খাবারগুলো। আর তারা যে তৃপ্তি সহকারে খেয়ে থাকে সেখানেই আমার স্বার্থকতা আর এসবই সম্ভব হয়েছে আমার মায়ের কারনে।”

Assalamu Alaikum. I am Nusrat Jahan. I am a culinary artist and a women entrepreneur. I was born in Jhalokathi. Currently, I reside with my family on Green Road in Dhaka. My husband is a professional. My only daughter, Ohna Rasin Simran Bikarunnisa Noon, is a student in the fifth grade at Dhanmondi Branch of Scholastica. Since 2018, I have been running a homemade food business, Simran’s Kitchen, and I also provide baking training for housewives and students at my home. My page is named ‘Simran’s Kitchen & Training Center’ on Facebook. Profile link: https://www.facebook.com/nusrat.jahan.75470316?mibextid=ZbWKwL Business page link: https://www.facebook.com/SimranKitchen?mibextid=ZbWKwL #thewannabecook #recipecontest #homechef

From a young age, I have been a part of a joint family. In the mornings, we didn’t have roti or paratha every day. Since our family had more members, we would often have rice with mashed vegetables, egg bhaji, and sometimes hot rice with lentils and eggs. However, alongside these meals, twice a week, my mother would arrange a special event, which included homemade rice and various types of mashed dishes along with fried eggs.

Among the people of rural Bengal, a delicious and enjoyable meal is homemade rice. And in the Barisal region, it’s a popular dish. The portion of rice that remains after threshing paddy is known as homemade rice. We even use this rice for everyday cooking, and it’s also used for making pulao. Cooking homemade rice leads to the creation of homemade bhath (rice). The extraordinary taste of my mother’s homemade bhath and bharta (mashed dishes) remains unforgettable. Therefore, at times, I also serve this homemade rice with various mashed dishes at my home. I present this homemade rice along with different types of bharta. The exceptional taste of my mother’s cooking is still as wonderful as ever. So, in my home, I continue the tradition of serving this dish, sharing the legacy of my mother’s cooking, and striving to capture its unique flavors. My husband and children also greatly enjoy these dishes. Their satisfaction and joy in eating are the result of my mother’s influence, making all of this possible.”

From a young age, I have been a part of a joint family. In the mornings, we didn’t have roti or paratha every day. Since our family had more members, we would often have rice with mashed vegetables, egg bhaji, and sometimes hot rice with lentils and eggs. However, alongside these meals, twice a week, my mother would arrange a special event, which included homemade rice and various types of mashed dishes along with fried eggs. Among the people of rural Bengal, a delicious and enjoyable meal is homemade rice. And in the Barisal region, it’s a popular dish. The portion of rice that remains after threshing paddy is known as homemade rice. We even use this rice for everyday cooking, and it’s also used for making pulao. Cooking homemade rice leads to the creation of homemade bhath (rice). The extraordinary taste of my mother’s homemade bhath and bharta (mashed dishes) remains unforgettable. Therefore, at times, I also serve this homemade rice with various mashed dishes at my home. If there’s egg bhaji or hilsa fish along with it, it becomes even more satisfying. So, let’s learn the recipe for that exceptional homemade rice and mashed dishes from my mother’s hands.

“Khuder Bhaga” is a traditional Bengali dish that consists of lentil fritters or dumplings served with a tangy and spicy tamarind sauce. The lentil fritters are made from a mixture of soaked and ground lentils, spices, and sometimes vegetables, which are then deep-fried until crispy. The fritters are usually served with tamarind sauce, which adds a sweet and tangy flavor to the dish. “Khuder Bhaga” is often enjoyed as a snack or appetizer in Bengali cuisine.

 Homemade Bharta Varieties

Rice:

Ingredients:

1. 3 cups cooked rice (any type)
2. 6 cups hot water
3. 2 onions, chopped
4. 2 tablespoons garlic paste
5. 1 tablespoon ginger paste
6. 1 tablespoon chopped green chili
7. 4 dried red chilies
8. 2 tablespoons mustard oil
9. 2 bay leaves
10. salt (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Wash and drain the cooked rice thoroughly. Strain any excess water.
2. In the rice, add chopped onions, garlic paste, ginger paste, chopped green chili, and salt. Mix well using your hands.
3. In a clean dish, put mustard oil. When the oil is slightly hot, add dried red chilies and bay leaves.
4. Add the mixed rice to the oil and spices. Stir and sauté gently.
5. Add hot water, cover with a lid, and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
6. After 20 minutes, check the salt level. If needed, add a little more salt and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes with the lid on.
7. The magical touch of a mother’s hands will turn the rice into a flavorful dish, ready to be served.
8. Since my mother served this Rice Bharta with 6 different types of accompaniments, I am sharing the recipes of those accompaniments as well:

Potato Mash (Aloo Bharta):

Ingredients:

1. 4 boiled potatoes
2. 3-4 dried red chilies
3. 1 cup chopped onions
4. 2 tablespoons mustard oil
5. salt (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Peel and mash the boiled potatoes.
2. In a frying pan, heat a small amount of mustard oil. Add dried red chilies and sauté them.
3. Add chopped onions and sauté.
4. Add mashed potatoes and mix well.
5. A pinch of salt and a drizzle of mustard oil will enhance the flavor of this dish

Onion and Green Chili Mash (Peyanjkoli Bharta) 

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup chopped onions
2. 10-12 green chilies
3. 2 tablespoons mustard oil
4. salt (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Heat a small amount of mustard oil in a frying pan.
2. Fry the green chilies until they become crispy.
3. In a clean dish, mix chopped onions, fried green chilies, and salt.
4. Drizzle mustard oil over the mixture and mix well.

Garlic Mash (Rasun Bharta):

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup garlic cloves
2. 1 tablespoon chopped onions
3. 1 tablespoon chopped green chili
4. 1 teaspoon kalonji (nigella seeds)
5. salt (to taste)
6. 2 tablespoons mustard oil

Instructions:

1. Wash and peel the garlic cloves. Drain the water.
2. In a clean, dry frying pan or iron pot, add a small amount of mustard oil and heat it.
3. Add garlic cloves, chopped onions, and chopped green chili to the oil. Sauté for a while.
4. After a few moments, add kalonji and continue sautéing until the garlic cloves become soft and tender.
5. In a clean dish, mash the softened garlic cloves, onions, and green chilies. Add salt to taste.
6. Mix well and drizzle mustard oil over the mashed mixture.

Brinjal and Tomato Mash (Begun Tomato Bharta):

Ingredients:

1. 1 large brinjal
2. 4 tomatoes
3. 1/2 cup chopped onions
4. 3 tablespoons mustard oil
5. 1 tablespoon chopped green chili
6. 1 tablespoon red chili powder
7. 1 teaspoon nigella seeds
8. salt (to taste)
9. sugar (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Roast the brinjal and tomatoes until they are charred.
2. Peel the skin of the roasted brinjal and tomatoes.
3. In a clean bowl, mash the roasted brinjal and tomatoes together.
4. Heat mustard oil in a frying pan and add chopped onions.
5. Sauté the onions until they turn golden brown.
6. Add the mashed brinjal and tomatoes to the pan.
7. Add chopped green chili, red chili powder, nigella seeds, salt, and sugar to taste.
8. Mix well and drizzle mustard oil over the mashed mixture.

Black Mustard Seed Mash (Kalo Jira Bharta):

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup black mustard seeds
2. 1 tablespoon garlic paste
3. 1 tablespoon chopped onions
4. 4 green chilies
5. 1 tablespoon mustard oil
6. salt (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Wash the black mustard seeds and soak them in water for 1 hour.
2. Drain the water from the soaked mustard seeds.
3. In a frying pan, add a small amount of mustard oil.
4. Add garlic paste and chopped onions. Sauté for a while.
5. Add soaked mustard seeds and chopped green chilies to the pan. Mix well.
6. Drizzle mustard oil over the mixture and add salt to taste.
7. Mash the mixture well using a mortar and pestle.

White Mustard Seed Mash (Sada Jira Bharta):

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup white mustard seeds
2. 1 cup chopped onions
3. 1/2 cup green chilies
4. 1 tablespoon mustard oil
5. salt (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Wash the white mustard seeds and soak them in water for 1 hour.
2. Drain the water from the soaked mustard seeds.
3. In a clean bowl, mash the soaked mustard seeds.
4. Add chopped onions, green chilies, and salt to the mixture.
5. Drizzle mustard oil over the mixture and mix well.
6. These are the recipes for the 6 accompaniments that my mother served with the Rice Bharta. Enjoy the magical taste created by a mother’s hands!