I cook with cheese. Sometimes, I even add food to it,” says Chef Bhawar Singh’s epigram. Presenting the Cheesy Hari Bhari Khichdi. Khichdi is India’s ancient comfort food, which is also mentioned in Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta’s Indian travelogue in 1350. It has now become cheesy.
“Desi ghee will join its Roman dairy counterpart to cook up a storm in the khichdi bowl,” says the chef. He says that adding cheese alongside ghee to rice is a double delight, which gives the comfort food an edge. Singh is the Corporate Chef at Khandani Rajdhani, a Bengaluru-based restaurant chain with 30 outlets in India and abroad.
His favourite dishes are Ker Sangri Ki Sabzi, Daal Baati, Boondi ki Sabzi and homestyle khichdi. “All it takes is one classic ingredient to change the flavour,” he says. Adding cheese to khichdi is like sporting aviators with a bandhgala, he says.
Cheese Khichdi
Ingredients
✥ Processed cheese grated, ¼ cup + for sprinkling
✥ Green peas ¼ cup
✥ Green gram (sabut moong) soaked overnight, drained ½ cup
✥ Spinach puree ½ cup
✥ Spring onion greens finely chopped 1-2 stalks
✥ Rice soaked for 15-20 minutes, drained 1½ cup
✥ Ghee 1 tablespoon
✥ Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
✥ Garlic chopped 1 tablespoon
✥ Spring onion bulbs finely chopped 2-3
✥ Salt to taste
Method
✥ Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
Add spring onion bulbs and sauté for 1 minute.
✥ Add green peas and green gram and mix. Add salt, rice and 3 cups water, cover and pressure cook till 5-6 whistles.
✥ Add spinach puree and spring onion greens, mix and cook for 1 minute. Add ½ cup water, mix and cook for 2 minutes.
Add cheese, mix and cook for 1 minute.
✥ Serve hot garnished with some grated cheese