Khichuri
Ismail created this Khichuri for MasterChef UK Professionals Series 18, serving it as the starchy counterpoint to his Butternut Squash, Cashew and Chickpea Curry in his Semi-Finals Cook Off plate. Khichuri - a Bangladeshi dish of spiced rice and lentils - carries far more cultural weight than its simple ingredients suggest: it is the food of rainy days, of recovery, of festive celebration. The Bangladeshi version is more robustly spiced than the Indian khichdi, built on a tadka of whole spices and enriched with ghee. A judge described the component with enthusiasm during the cook: 'We've got spiced rice and lentil, it's called khichuri.' The judging critique -'I'm finding the rice a bit on the soft side' - pointed to a textural failure, not a flavour one. This recipe corrects it using a drain-and-dum technique: the rice is cooked to just al dente and immediately drained, then steam-finished off the heat with a cloth under the lid to keep every grain distinct. On Khichuri: A National D…
- Time: 30 min
Source: Relaxed Recipes
Ingredients
- STEP 1: RINSE
- Rinse the rice and lentils separately under cold water until the water running o
- STEP 2: MAKE THE TADKA
- Melt the ghee or butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cumin see
- STEP 3: COOK THE ONION
- Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden — 8–10 m
- STEP 4: ADD THE LENTILS
- Add the rinsed lentils and stir for 1 minute
- STEP 5: ADD THE RICE AND WATER
- Add the rinsed rice and 650ml of water along with salt. Stir once to combine. Br
- STEP 6: DUM FINISH
- Begin checking the rice at 10 minutes. As soon as the grains are al dente — cook
- STEP 7: SERVE
- Remove and discard the bay leaf and whole chilli. Fluff gently with a fork. Serv