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Sekai Gohan
Soft Khichuri: Sylheti Rice and Red Lentil Iftar Porridge
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| White rice (চাল, chal) | about 3½ oz (100 g) | Body; it breaks down into the porridge |
| Split red lentils (মসুর ডাল, masoor dal) | about 3½ oz (100 g) | Melts into a creamy thickness |
| Onions (পেঁয়াজ, peyaj) | 2, sliced lengthwise | One cooks in the pot for sweetness; one is fried for the finish |
| Oil or ghee (তেল/ঘি, tel/ghee) | ½ cup | Richness; part goes into the pot, the rest fries the second onion |
| Fenugreek seeds (মেথি, methi) | 2 pinches | Aroma and a faint bitterness |
| Fresh ginger (আদা, ada) | a 1-inch piece, finely chopped | Warm, clean aroma |
| Salt (লবণ, lobon) | to taste | Seasoning |
| Water | enough to stand 1 inch above the rice and lentils | Cooking liquid |
Steps
1Wash and soak the rice and lentils
Put the rice and red lentils together in a bowl and wash them in several changes of water. Rub them gently between your fingers and pour off the water each time. Cover with fresh water and soak for 30 minutes.
2Slice the onions and chop the ginger
Peel both onions and slice them lengthwise into long strips. Divide them into two piles, one for the pot and one for frying later. Chop the ginger finely and set it beside the fenugreek seeds. When you're done you should have two even heaps of onion and a small mound of ginger.
3Load the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat
Drain the rice and lentils and spread them in the pot. Add one pile of onion, part of the oil or ghee, the fenugreek, ginger and salt. Pour in water to 1 inch above the surface of the rice and lentils, and set the pot over high heat. It comes to a full boil in 8–10 minutes. Move on once it boils.
4Lower to medium with the lid ajar
Once it boils, turn the heat to medium and set the lid on slightly ajar, leaving a gap for steam. Cook for 10 minutes. The gap stops the starchy foam from boiling over.
5Simmer on low for 20 minutes, stirring now and then
Turn the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir now and then, scraping across the bottom. The more you stir, the more the rice breaks down, the less it sticks, and the better the khichuri tastes. It is ready when most grains have burst, the lentils have dissolved into a pale yellow-beige cream, and the porridge drops loosely from the spoon.
6Fry the second onion and stir it in
Near the end of the simmer, heat the rest of the oil or ghee in a small frying pan. Add the second pile of onion and fry, stirring, until the strips are golden brown and smell sweet. Pour the onion and its oil straight into the pot, stir it through, and turn off the heat. The khichuri should look flecked with brown and shine faintly from the oil.