KHICHRHA - Aromatic rice and mixed lentils

KHICHRHA -   کھچڑا

Overnight soak in water:
       1/2 CUP BENGAL GRAM   چنے کی دال
       1/2 CUP PINK LENTIL   مسور کی دال
       1/2 CUP MUNG LENTILS    مونگ کی دال
       1/2 CUP WHITE LENTILS   دھلی ماش کی دال
       1/2 CUP WHOLE WHEAT (preferably not whole but in halves) گیہوں
       1/2 CUP BARLEY   جاؤ
       1/2 CUP BASMATI RICE

1-2 hours before cooking soak:
       1 KILO BASMATI RICE

Cook following two items separately until you see now combine heading below

Item 1:
Fry  2 MEDIUM ONIONS sliced spherically in
        1 CUP CLARIFIED BUTTER until reddish brown; then add:
        1 BLACK CARDAMON
        2 GREEN CARDOMANS (cardomans should be slightly opened)
        4 CLOVES
        2 1" PIECES OF CINNAMON STICK
        1 TEASPOON BLACK PEPPERCORN
        1 TEASPOON BLACK CUMIN WHOLE
        2 TEASPOON CORIANDER POWDER
        1 TEASPOON TURMERIC POWDER
        1 TABLESPOON GINGER PASTE
        1 TABLESPOON GARLIC PASTER
        3 TABLESPOON RED CHILI POWDER
when turmeric odor has gone add:
        1 CUP WHIPPED YOGURT
        SALT TO TASTE
        SOME WATER and fry mixing it all nicely; now add the overnight soaked items and the recently soaked rice and
        4 CUPS OF BOILED WATER on medium flame until the 'bengal gram' is soft - STOP 

Item 2: is being cooked almost simultaneously (do you really want to do this?)
Fry  4 LARGE ONIONS thin sliced in
        CLARIFIED BUTTER until reddish brown;
now add the following whole (saabit):
        6-8 CLOVES
        5 CARDAMONS
        1 BLACK CARDAMON
        2 TABLESPOONS WHITE CUMIN
        2 1/2" CINNAMON STICK
        2 BAY LEAVES (LARGE KIND ALSO CALLED CURRY LEAVES)
        2 STAR ANISE
        1-11/2 TABLESPOON FENNEL
and: 1 TEASPOON MACE POWDER
        1 TEASPOON NUTMEG POWDER
after mixing it in nicely; add:
        4 TABLESPOON GARLIC PASTE
        4 TABLESPOON GINGER PASTE
        3 TABLESPOON RED CHILI POWDER
        1 TEASPOON TURMERIC POWDER
        2 1/2 TABLESPOON CORIANDER POWDER
        2 TABLESPOON SALT, TO TASTE
        1 1/2 TABLESPOON CUMIN POWDER WHITE
mix it all in and after turmeric aroma has gone, 
add:
        2 1/2 KILO MUTTON CUT SMALL TO MEDIUM
add water and cook till meat is ready  and reduce till curry is thick
     
now combine

and grind it all with large spoon in the pot so that it looks half ground and half not entirely ground (understood? this ain't haleem) now add:
        2 CUPS OF BOILED WATER and as it starts to bubble then mix half of following in nicely:

The 'bhagaar' (cannot translate). Separately, temper 
        2 MEDIUM ONIONS SLICED
in:    1 CUP CLARIFIED BUTTER adding
        2 GREEN CARDAMONS
        1 TEASPOON BLACK PEPPERCORN
        2 1" PIECES OF CINNAMON STICKS
        1/2 TEASPOON MACE POWDER
        1/2 TEASPOON NUTMEG POWDER
        3-4 BAY LEAVES
        1 BLACK CARDAMON
        4 CLOVES
        1 TABLESPOON BLACK CUMIN WHOLE
        2" PIECE OF GINGER JULIENNED
        1 BUNCH OF FINELY CHOPPED FRESH CORIANDER
        8 GREEN CHILI FINELY CUT
When aromas are aroused then put half  away for garnish and mix the rest in well into khichrha pot. If KHICHRHA is dry then add water for desired consistency. It should be mushy/dryish.
Garnish remaining 'bhagaar' before serving.

9 comments:

  1. Gaihoun! (Wheat!)??
    We add wheat to the mix of daals too, though I'll have to ask the recipe properly to match it up but, OMG I'm loving this blog. So many childhood memories come rushing back. Can you ask your ammi for the achaar and chutneys? Also the Panchphorr bhujia? Qivaami siwayen? Oh the list is endless...

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  2. Hey Hushed, I love qiwaami sevayan too. Thats numero uno on my list then sheer khurma and chanay ka halwa. Oh my God ! what about Shahi tukray. you will get it all via the Maestro's side kick aka son. Punjpoor or panjpooran bhujia shall also follow

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  3. hi hushed! just got off skype with ammi - ofcourse there is gayhoon and jau too - then my sister reminded her about the meat - she very irritatedly told me how can you make khichhra without meat - i politely told her that i wrote just what i had been told, but that my memory was fading and i must've forgotten to add the meat part - so the revised edition of khichrha is coming up after i figure out what jau is in english, it might be millet

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  4. Raana aunty, I make chanay ki daal ka halvaa and have tried my hand at qivaami sivayen too though after my Ammi's passing a couple of years ago, I just don't trust my khalas or mom's versions. They go too light on sugar. You can't do that to qivaami. no.
    I also have a version of Shahi tukray that I reached after fusing my own trials and errors with Ammi's version. Shahi Tukray was perhaps the fondest regular meetha memories I had, whereas qivaami is more festive once a year thing. With Shab e Barat just passing, I REALLY missed the chanay ki daal ka halvaa and the suji ka halvaa (tukri one, not the soft one).
    As for Jau, Riz (uncle? I'm sorry I don't wish to be rude) I guess it's Barley? Do check though, I'm no expert. Thanks for the updated recipe.

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    Replies
    1. hi hushed - you're quite welcome - Raana is having a lively discussion on FB with her friends on khichrha.
      I use this site for translating Urdu ingredients to English http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Glossary-of-Indian-Food-Terms-A-C.html
      More stuff to follow - I peeked into your blogs, very intriguing and interesting - that's the company I like to keep - welcome to our little corner!

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    2. Thanks a lot for liking my blogs. I'm part of those discussions on Facebook too. This is Hareem Sumbul from there. Looking forward to new stuff here :)

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  5. Just came through, looking for Khichrha for Ashura. Can't hold my tears back. I grieve with you all despite the fact that I never met her, I feel at some level all Ammis that believe in no "naap taul" carry a glimpse of each other. She is in my prayers, as are you all.

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  6. Thank you for your kind words. God bless you.

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