Khichidi with Labra

Last night my mom came home. We all suddenly had the urge to eat khichidi. With khichidi we normally eat an omlette or fish fry. Yesterday, since I was making khichidi, I thought of making Labra as well.

Labra is a mixed vegetable usually eaten with khichdi by Bengalis during Durga Puja bhog. We go to the Pandals set up for the Puja and relish the Labra Khichidi combo.The recipe for Labra I got from my mashi (my mom's sister). I think she is a wonderful cook, and this is her recipe. The Labra should be made with slightly more oil than normal, and the preferred oil is mustard oil,though any oil can be used. 

The Khichidi is more tasty if it is of a watery consistency. 

Ingredients for the Khichidi:

Roasted Moong Dal: 1 cup

Rice: 1 cup

Cauliflower: around 100gms

Carrot: around 100gms

Potatoes: around 100gms

Green Peas: 1/2cup

Cumin seeds: 1/2tbsp

Bay Leaves: 2-3

Green Chilli: 2-3

Ginger grated: 1tbsp

Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp

Sugar: a pinch

Salt: as per taste

Ghee/Oil: as required

Method:

1) Dry roast the moong dal and wash. Roast the dal till you get the wonderful aroma of the dal. Make sure that the dal does not burn.

2) Wash the rice and the dal and drain.

3) The vegetables need to be cut in big pieces so that they don't melt while cooking.

4) In a bit of ghee or oil, slightly fry all the vegetables and keep aside.

5) In a deep dish, heat ghee or oil. Add the cumin seeds.

6) When they begin to splutter, add the bay leaves, grated ginger and 

 green chilli.

7) Fry for some time, then add the dal and the rice.

8) Add enough water to cover the dal and rice.

9) When it looks creamy, add the vegetables, turmeric powder, salt and sugar.

10) Cover and cook. Keep checking, stirring and adding water when required. 

11) The more water you add,the bigger the grains will become.

12) Once the dal has melted, and the rice looks as cooked as possible, the khichidi is done.

13) Serve hot with a little extra ghee for added taste, or wait for the Labra.

Ingredients for the Labra:

Pumpkin: around 100gms

Cabbage: around 100gms

Raddish: around 100gms

Potato: around 100gms

Raw banana: around 100gms

Cauliflower leaves: around 50gms

Sprouts: 1/2 cup

Paanch Phoron: 1tbsp (Fenugreek seeds, Nigella seeds, Mustard seeds, Fennal seeds and cumin seeds)

Ginger grated: 1tbsp

Red chilli: 3-4

Green chilli: 2-3

Bay Leaves: 2-3

Turmeric powder: 1tsp

Cumin seeds: 1tbsp

Coriander seeds: 1/2tsp

Salt: as per taste

Sugar: 1tsp

Oil: as required

Method:

1) Wash and cut all the vegetables into big oblong pieces.

2) In a little bit of oil, fry all the vegetables, except the cabbage and sprouts. Keep aside.

3) Dry roast the cumin seeds and the coriander seeds till it does not have the raw smell. Grind to a fine powder and keep aside.

4) In hot oil, add the red chilli, bay leaves and paanch phoron.

5) When they start spluttering, add all the vegetables, except the cabbage. The cabbage is added later as it becomes squishy very fast.

6) Mix well and then add the green chilli, grated ginger, salt, sugar and turmeric powder. 

7) Mix and fry well for sometime, sprinkling a bit of water if and when required.

8) Add enough water to cover the vegetables, and cover and cook.

9) When the vegetables are nearly cooked, added the cabbage and cook.

10) When all the vegetables have nearly melted and are squishy, add the cumin-coriander powder, mix, and remove from the flame.

Serve hot with the khichdi.