If you want something with a different flavour beyond polao or biryani at Eid-ul-Azha, you can make beef bhuna khichuri. Cooked with fragrant rice, lentils, ghee and spices, the dish becomes even more special with tender beef added.

Looking for a simple but grand dish for family or guests? Bhuna khichuri could be one of the highlights of the Eid table, and served piping hot it is all the more satisfying. Here is the recipe.

Wash the meat well and mix it thoroughly with salt, turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, chopped onion and oil. Put a pan on the stove and cook covered on a medium flame for 8 to 10 minutes. There is no need to add water, as the meat will release its own. After that, uncover and fry the meat well. When the liquid dries up, add 1 cup of water, cover again and cook for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, lightly dry-roast mung and red lentils (masoor) in a pan. Then mix the lentils with polao rice, wash well and drain. When the meat is almost tender, add ghee and the washed rice and lentil mixture and stir on a medium flame for 5 minutes.

Then pour in 8 cups of water, mix well, cover and cook on a high flame for 8 to 10 minutes. When it comes to the boil, stir again and sprinkle with kewra water. Then cover and let it cook on a low flame for about 20 minutes.

Finally, uncover, stir the khichuri gently and leave it on dum for another 5 minutes before serving hot.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.