Recipe for Famous Calcutta Lentil and Ginger Khachori

When evening tea time arrives, having something savory and crunchy significantly improves mood and helps relieve daily fatigue. Often, people buy packaged snacks in stores, which may contain low-quality oil and preservatives. However, if you want to prepare a homemade snack that is tastier, more hygienic, and crunchier than store-bought ones, SHAHI DAL BIDJI is an excellent choice.

This snack, made from a mixture of small black (whole) lentils and fine strands of besan, is distinguished by its exceptional taste and crispy texture. Preparing this mixture is quite simple, and once you make it, it can be stored in an airtight container for several months.

The recipe requires:

• Whole black lentils: 1 cup (must be soaked in water overnight or for 5-6 hours)
• Besan (chickpea flour): 1 cup
• Baking soda (soda): a pinch (added when soaking the lentils)
• Turmeric powder: 1/2 teaspoon
• Paprika (red pepper): 1 teaspoon
• Amchur or chatni masala: 1 teaspoon
• Black pepper powder: 1/2 teaspoon
• Black salt and regular salt: to taste
• Hing (asafoetida): 2 pinches
• Oil: 1 tablespoon for kneading and as needed for frying

First, soak the whole black lentils in water for 5-6 hours, adding a pinch of baking soda. Then, strain the water, and subsequently spread the lentils on a cotton cloth to allow them to dry completely, removing surface moisture.

Next, take 1 cup of besan in a pot. Add a little salt, turmeric, a pinch of hing, and 1 teaspoon of oil, mixing thoroughly. Gradually add water in small portions to form a relatively dense dough—it should not be too soft nor too hard.

Heat oil in a wok. Place a sieve with small holes on a special snack-making machine and pour the besan dough directly into the hot oil. Fry over medium heat until golden and crispy, then remove. When they cool down, they need to be crushed by hand.

Then, fry the dried lentils in the same hot oil, either through a sieve placed on cloth or directly in the oil, over high heat until maximum crispiness is achieved. You know the lentils are ready when they start floating on the oil's surface and emit a characteristic sizzling sound.

In a large bowl, mix the fried lentils and the crushed besan. Then, top with paprika powder, amchur/chatni masala, black pepper, black salt, hing, and regular salt, mixing all ingredients well.

The finished savory and crunchy snack, SHAHI DAL BIDJI, must cool completely, after which it should be transferred to a glass or plastic airtight container for storage.

Often after dinner, there are bowls of cooked or prepared rice left over. Many people do not know what to do with it, and sometimes they have to throw away old rice. However, if you want to avoid food waste and prepare something very tasty and healthy, the renowned chef Sanjeev Kapoor has shared a secret kitchen trick.

From leftover rice, you can make the famous Georgian snack—'Rice Muthiya' (Rice Muthiya)—by adding some besan, wheat flour, spices, and fried truffle. Since it is steamed, it is easily digestible, contains little oil, and has an excellent taste.

To prepare the dough for muthiya, you will need:

• Cooked/leftover rice — 1.5 cups (lightly mashed)
• Besan — 1/2 cup
• Wheat flour or suji — 1/4 cup
• Yogurt — 2 tablespoons (slightly sour)
• Finely chopped green coriander — 1/4 cup
• Ginger and green chili paste — 1 teaspoon
• White cumin seeds — 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder — 1/4 teaspoon
• Red chili powder — 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander powder — 1/2 teaspoon
• Ajwain — 1/2 teaspoon (rubbed in hands)
• Lime juice — 1 teaspoon
• Oil — 1 large tablespoon (for greasing)
• Salt — to taste

For preparing the thark (tempering), you need:

• Oil — 1.5 large tablespoons
• Mustard seeds — 1 teaspoon
• White cumin seeds — 1 large tablespoon
• Curry leaves — 8-10
• Hing (asafoetida) — 1/4 teaspoon
• Whole dried red chili — 1 (optional)

First, prepare the dough: lightly mash the leftover rice by hand in a large bowl. Then add besan, wheat flour, yogurt, ginger and green chili paste, green coriander, ajwain, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin, lime juice, 1 teaspoon of oil, and salt to taste. Mix all ingredients well by hand to form a soft dough, without adding extra water. (If the rice is too dry, you can add only 1 teaspoon of water or yogurt).

After that, shape the muthiya: grease your hands with a little oil. Take a small portion of the prepared mixture and, pressing with your palm and fingers, form a long cylindrical roll. Then proceed to steam: keep hot water in a steamer or pot. Grease the sieve plate of the steamer with oil and place the formed rolls on it. Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for 12–15 minutes.

Checking readiness and slicing: After 15 minutes, check for doneness by inserting a knife; if the knife comes out clean, the muthiya is ready. Let it cool completely, and then slice it into round pieces using a knife.

Preparing the tharka: Heat 1.5 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves, and white cumin seeds, and let them sizzle. Then add the sliced muthiya pieces and fry on low heat, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until the outer crust becomes slightly crispy.

Serving: The finished rice muthiya, which turns out to be simultaneously sweet-sour and tangy, is ready to serve. Sprinkle with finely chopped green coriander on top and serve hot with green chutney or tea.