Bengali khichdi | Daily Mail Online

I enjoyed this at the home of Ranjana, who runs a takeaway business in Delhi called Bhaat. I love that it’s such a simple, one-pot meal – incredibly comforting – yet the flavours are truly amazing. All it needs is a side of raita.

SERVES 4

130g moong dal (split mung beans, available from Sainsbury’s)

130g basmati rice

500ml water

1 tbsp ghee

1 cinnamon stick

4 green cardamom pods

6 cloves

2cm fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

1 tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp chilli powder

2 tomatoes, roughly chopped 650ml boiling water

For the tadka

1 tbsp ghee

2 green chillies, thinly sliced

20g fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped

• Toast the moong dal in a dry pan over a low heat for 4-5 minutes, until it starts to change colour. Put it into a pan with the rice and wash them together two or three times. Drain, then soak the dal and rice in the fresh water for an hour.
• Heat a large pan and melt the ghee. Add the cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and fresh ginger then cook for a minute on low heat. Add the salt, sugar, turmeric and chilli powder and cook for a few seconds, then stir in the tomatoes.
• Drain the dal and rice and add them to the pan. Cook, stirring, on a high heat for 2 minutes. Pour in the boiling water, then cover and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes, until the dal and rice are soft and squishy.
• To make the tadka, heat a small pan and melt the ghee. Add the green chillies and, after a few seconds of sizzling, add the coriander. Pour the mixture over the khichdi and serve warm.
• This can be stored in an airtight box in the fridge for 4-5 days. Heat thoroughly before serving.