Bhoger khichuri & labra, the pandal way

Khichuri: what you need

• 1 cup gobindobhog rice (or any short-grain fragrant rice), washed and drained
• 1 cup sona moong dal
• 1 small cauliflower in florets, 2 potatoes halved, ½ cup green peas
• 1½ tbsp grated ginger, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp cumin powder, ½ tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp whole cumin, 2 bay leaves, 2 dried red chillies, 3 green cardamom, 4 cloves, 1-inch cinnamon
• 3 tbsp ghee (plus more to finish), 1 tbsp mustard oil
• Salt, 1½ tsp sugar, ½ tsp garam masala, 2 green chillies slit
• About 6 cups hot water

Method

1. Roast the dal. In a dry pan on medium heat, stir the moong dal for 5–7 minutes until it smells nutty and turns light gold. This is the step that gives bhog its taste, so don't rush it. Wash it once and drain.
2. Fry the vegetables. Heat the mustard oil, add a pinch of turmeric and salt, and fry the potatoes and cauliflower until golden at the edges. Set aside.
3. Temper. In a heavy pot, heat 2 tbsp ghee. Add cumin, bay leaves, red chillies, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. When the cumin sizzles, add the ginger and stir for 30 seconds.
4. Add dal and rice. Stir in the dal, turmeric, cumin and chilli powder for a minute, then the rice for another minute so every grain is coated.
5. Simmer. Pour in 5 cups of hot water, add salt and the potatoes. Cover partly and cook on low-medium for 20 minutes, stirring now and then so nothing sticks.
6. Finish. Add the cauliflower, peas, green chillies and sugar, and more hot water if it is thick. Bhog khichuri should flow slowly off a ladle, not set like a pulao. Cook 8–10 minutes more.
7. Turn off the heat. Stir in the garam masala and the last tablespoon of ghee. Rest, covered, for 5 minutes.

Labra: mixed vegetables

Labra is a gently spiced mix of whatever vegetables are at hand, cooked until they just hold their shape.

• 3 cups mixed vegetables in chunks: pumpkin, potato, sweet potato, radish, brinjal, flat beans, raw banana, and a handful of spinach
• 2 tbsp mustard oil, 1 tsp panch phoron, 2 dried red chillies, 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp grated ginger, ½ tsp turmeric, salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp ghee
• Optional: a handful of fried bori (sun-dried lentil dumplings)

1. Heat the oil until it smokes lightly, then lower the heat. Add panch phoron, red chillies and bay leaf.
2. Add the harder vegetables first (potato, sweet potato, radish, raw banana) with turmeric and salt. Stir-fry for 5 minutes.
3. Add pumpkin, beans and brinjal, then the ginger. Splash in ½ cup water, cover and cook on low for 10–12 minutes.
4. Add the spinach, sugar and bori. Cook uncovered until the pumpkin starts to melt into the rest and the mix is moist but not watery. Finish with ghee.

Serving it like a pandal

Serve khichuri hot with labra, a crisp begun bhaja (fried brinjal slices), tomato-date chutney and a spoon of payesh. Eat it on a sal-leaf plate if you can find one; it really is better that way.