BENGALI KICHIDI WITH BOONDI

INGREDIENTS FOR THE KICHIDI:

1.    500 grams govind bhog rice/any small grained rice

2.   250 grams yellow moong dal

3.   2 inch piece ginger grated

4.   2 tomatoes chopped

5.   5 green chillies slit

6.   2 cups of mixed vegetables cut into medium sized pieces (potatoes,pumkin.brinjal.cabbage,bottle gourd,cauliflower,or any other seasonal  vegetables of your choice)

7.   1 Tsp. turmeric powder/haldi powder

8.   2 Tsp. red chilly powder/lal mirch powder

9.   1 Tsp. asafoetida/hing

    10. 1 inch cinnamon/dalchini

    11. 2 green cardamom/ elaichi

    12. 3 Cloves /Laung

    13. 1 Bay leaf/tej patta

    14. 1 Tsp. cumin seeds/jeera

    15. 4 to 5 dried red chillies

    16. 2 Tbs. ghee

    17. 1 Tbs. mustard oil

    18. 1 Tsp. sugar or as required

    19. Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.    Wash and soak rice for an hour. Strain the water and keep aside.

2.   Wash and soak the yellow moong dal for 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.

3.   In a pan slow roast the moong dal till it turns light golden and you can get the aroma of the roasted dal.

4.   Keep aside.

5.   Heat ghee and oil in a wok.

6.   Add hing and all the whole spices till they crackle and give a fragrant aroma.

7.   Add the tomatoes, green chillies and ginger. Saute well for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the haldi and red chilly powder.

8.   Add all the chopped vegetables. Mix well and fry for a few minutes. Cover for sometime and let the vegetables cook.

9.   Add the rice and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

    10. Add the moong dal and stir well.

    11. Add at least 6 cups of water. Add salt and sugar according to your                   taste.

    12. Cover and simmer on low flame, till the rice and dal is fully cooked.

    13. Serve hot with papad, pickles or baigan bhaja.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BOONDI:

1.    1 & 1/2 cups of gram flour (besan)

2.   3 cups of sugar

3.   1 1/2 cup water

4.   A few drops of yellow golden colour

5.   2 cup oil to fry

METHOD:

1.    Combine the sugar and 2 cups of water in pan, mix well and cook on a high flame for about 5-7 minutes or till the sugar syrup is of 1 thread consistency. Once sugar is dissolved completely and the syrup becomes a little sticky, put off the flame and keep aside.

2.   Sieve gram flour in a vessel and occasionally add water to it. Add a few drops of golden yellow food colour. Make sure that the batter doesn't get too thin and no lumps are formed. Now heat oil in a wok over medium flame, hold a perforated spoon (a ladel that has fairly large holes in it) a little above the hot oil and pour some gram flour batter on the spoon. Allow small droplets to fall in the oil by tapping the edge of the spoon lightly.

3.   Stir and deep fry the boondis in the oil gently and fry till crisp but not brown. Take out the boondi on paper towel to drain off the excess oil. Now put the boondi in the sugar syrup and let it soak in the syrup.

4.   Allow to cool completely and loosen the boondi stirring gently.

5.   Boondi can be eaten fresh, or can be stored in an airtight container to serve later.

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