RAG Demo

Author: Abhishek

  • Vegetable Pulao

    Vegetable pulao is cooked in homes across India, and every region tweaks it slightly. It descends from the Persian pilaf, introduced to Indian kitchens by the Mughal court, but the everyday version is far simpler: basmati rice and seasonal vegetables cooked together in a measured amount of water with whole spices, so the rice absorbs all the flavour.

    Unlike biryani, pulao is not layered or dum-cooked, and it relies on aroma rather than heat. Bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and shahi jeera give fragrance, ghee gives richness, and carrots, beans, peas and cauliflower add colour. It goes into school tiffins, onto weekday lunch plates and alongside a rich curry at parties.

    At a glance

    RegionPan-Indian
    CuisineNorth Indian
    DietVegetarian
    CourseRice
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsbasmati rice / carrot / green peas / french beans / ghee

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes
    • 2 tbsp ghee
    • 1 tsp shahi jeera or cumin seeds
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 4 cloves
    • 3 green cardamoms
    • 1 star anise (optional)
    • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
    • 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 2 green chillies, slit
    • 1 carrot, diced
    • 1/2 cup french beans, chopped
    • 1/2 cup green peas
    • 1/2 cup cauliflower florets
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 2 1/2 cups hot water
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp chopped mint
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1 tsp lemon juice

    Method

    1. Heat the ghee in a heavy pot on medium heat. Add shahi jeera, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and star anise and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
    2. Add the onion and fry for 5-6 minutes until light golden.
    3. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies and fry for 1 minute until the raw smell goes.
    4. Add carrot, beans, peas and cauliflower and stir-fry on medium heat for 3 minutes.
    5. Drain the rice and add it to the pot. Stir gently for 1-2 minutes so the grains are coated in ghee, taking care not to break them.
    6. Pour in the hot water, add salt, garam masala, mint and coriander, and bring to a boil on high heat.
    7. Cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 12-14 minutes until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked. Do not open the lid in between.
    8. Turn off the heat, rest covered for 10 minutes, drizzle lemon juice and fluff gently with a fork.

    Tips

    • Soaked basmati needs about 1 3/4 cups water per cup of rice in a pot; in a pressure cooker use 1 1/2 cups and cook for 1 whistle.
    • Resting after cooking lets the steam finish the grains so they separate without breaking.
    • Top with fried onions and cashews for a festive version.

    Serve with

    Boondi raita, paneer butter masala or dal makhani.

  • Fara

    Fara is a traditional Chhattisgarhi snack and breakfast that began as a smart way to use leftover rice. The cooked rice is kneaded with rice flour into a soft dough, rolled into long, thin dumplings and steamed, much like a cousin of the south Indian kozhukattai or the Gujarati muthia.

    On their own the steamed faras are soft, chewy and plain. They become a snack once they are tossed in a tempering of mustard seeds, sesame, curry leaves and green chillies, which crisps them slightly at the edges. Some households serve them in a thin, sour curd-based gravy instead. They are eaten warm with chutney and tea.

    At a glance

    RegionChhattisgarh
    CuisineChhattisgarhi
    DietVegan
    CourseSnack
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice flour / cooked rice / sesame seeds / curry leaves

    Ingredients

    For the dough

    • 1 cup cooked rice
    • 1 1/4 cups rice flour
    • 1 cup water
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp oil

    For the tempering

    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 10-12 curry leaves
    • 2 green chillies, slit
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • Salt to taste
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1 tsp lemon juice

    Method

    1. Bring the water to a boil with salt and oil. Add the cooked rice, mash it with a spoon, then add the rice flour and stir quickly to combine. Turn off the heat, cover and rest for 5 minutes.
    2. When cool enough to handle, knead the mixture with greased hands into a smooth, soft dough.
    3. Pinch off small portions and roll between your palms into finger-thick rolls about 8 cm long, or into small balls.
    4. Arrange them on a greased steamer plate and steam over boiling water for 12-15 minutes until they look slightly glossy and are no longer sticky. Let them cool for 5 minutes.
    5. Heat oil in a wide pan on medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them pop, then cumin, sesame, asafoetida, curry leaves and green chillies. Fry for 20 seconds until the sesame turns light golden.
    6. Add turmeric and chilli powder, then the steamed faras with a pinch of salt. Toss gently on medium heat for 3-4 minutes until lightly crisp in places.
    7. Finish with coriander and lemon juice and serve warm.

    Tips

    • Knead while the dough is warm; cold rice-flour dough cracks when rolled.
    • Steamed faras keep in the fridge for a day – temper them fresh just before serving.
    • For the curd version, simmer the steamed faras in a thin, tempered buttermilk kadhi for 5 minutes.

    Serve with

    Green chutney or tomato chutney and a cup of tea.

  • Chhattisgarhi Chawal Chila

    Chhattisgarh is called the rice bowl of India, and its kitchens turn rice into dozens of everyday dishes: fara, muthia, angakar roti, dehrori and chila. Chawal chila, the rice pancake, is the quickest of them, made for breakfast or as a light dinner in villages and towns across the state.

    The batter can be made from soaked, ground rice or simply from rice flour mixed with water. It is spread thin on a hot iron tawa, where it sets into a soft pancake with crisp, lacy edges. Chopped onion, green chilli and coriander go into the batter, and it is eaten hot with a sharp tomato or dhaniya-mirchi chutney.

    At a glance

    RegionChhattisgarh
    CuisineChhattisgarhi
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves3
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice flour / onion / green chilli / coriander

    Ingredients

    For the chila

    • 1 1/2 cups rice flour (or 1 cup rice soaked 4 hours and ground)
    • 1 1/2 cups water, approximately
    • 1 small onion, finely chopped
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1/2 tsp grated ginger
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • Oil for cooking

    For the tomato chutney

    • 2 tomatoes
    • 2 green chillies
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 1 tbsp coriander
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. For the chutney, roast the tomatoes, chillies and garlic directly over a flame or on a tawa until charred. Peel the tomatoes and crush everything with coriander and salt on a sil-batta or in a mortar.
    2. Whisk the rice flour with water into a smooth, pouring batter, thinner than dosa batter. Rest for 10 minutes.
    3. Stir in the onion, green chillies, ginger, cumin, coriander and salt.
    4. Heat an iron tawa on medium-high heat and grease it lightly with oil using a cut onion or a cloth.
    5. Stir the batter, pour a ladleful from the edges towards the centre, and tilt the tawa to spread it thin. Do not try to spread it with the ladle like a dosa.
    6. Drizzle oil around the edges and cook for 2 minutes until the edges turn crisp and the surface looks dry.
    7. Flip and cook another 1 minute. Serve hot with the tomato chutney.

    Tips

    • Rice flour settles to the bottom quickly; stir the batter before every chila.
    • If the chila sticks, the tawa is not hot enough or needs better seasoning; non-stick pans also work.
    • Add a spoon of curd to the batter for a slightly tangy, softer version.

    Serve with

    Roasted tomato chutney, or green chutney and tea.

  • Mawa Bati

    Mawa bati is a speciality of Malwa and Nimar in Madhya Pradesh, seen at weddings and festival meals and in sweet shops around Indore and Ujjain. It resembles a large gulab jamun or kala jamun, but the dough is denser with mawa and each ball carries a hidden stuffing of dry fruits and cardamom.

    The baties are fried slowly over low heat until they turn a deep brown, almost black on the outside, then soaked in syrup. The outer layer is slightly firm and caramelised, the inside soft and grainy with khoya, and the centre crunchy with nuts. It is very rich, so one or two make a complete dessert.

    At a glance

    RegionMadhya Pradesh
    CuisineMalwa
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time70 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientskhoya / maida / sugar / dry fruits

    Ingredients

    For the dough

    • 250 g soft khoya (mawa), grated
    • 50 g chhena or paneer, crumbled
    • 3 tbsp maida
    • 1 tbsp fine semolina
    • 1/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tbsp milk, if needed
    • Ghee or oil for frying

    For the stuffing

    • 2 tbsp chopped almonds and pistachios
    • 1 tbsp chopped cashews
    • 1 tsp raisins
    • 1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
    • A few saffron strands
    • 1 tsp powdered sugar

    For the syrup

    • 2 cups sugar
    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • 4 green cardamoms, crushed
    • 1 tsp rose water

    Method

    1. Boil the sugar and water with cardamom for 6-7 minutes until slightly sticky but not at one-string consistency. Add rose water and keep warm.
    2. Mix the stuffing ingredients in a small bowl.
    3. Mash the khoya and chhena together with the heel of your hand for 5 minutes until smooth. Add maida, semolina and baking soda and knead gently into a soft, crack-free dough, adding a little milk if needed.
    4. Divide the dough into 12 portions. Flatten each in your palm, place 1/2 tsp stuffing in the centre, seal and roll into a smooth ball or oval with no cracks.
    5. Heat ghee in a kadhai on low heat; it should be warm, not hot. Add the balls and fry very slowly, moving them constantly, for 12-15 minutes until deep dark brown all over.
    6. Lift the baties out and drop them into the warm syrup. Soak for at least 2 hours, ideally longer.
    7. Serve warm or at room temperature, halved to show the stuffing.

    Tips

    • Cracks in the balls will open in the oil – knead until the dough is completely smooth.
    • Frying slowly on low heat is essential; high heat browns the outside while the centre stays raw.
    • The syrup should be warm, not boiling, when the baties go in, or they shrink.

    Serve with

    Warm, with a spoon of syrup, after a dal bafla meal.

  • Dal Bafla

    Dal bafla is the Malwa cousin of Rajasthan's dal baati, eaten across Indore, Ujjain and Bhopal at weddings, community feasts and family gatherings. The difference is in the bafla itself: the wheat balls are boiled in water before being baked, which makes them softer and lighter inside than a dense baati.

    After boiling, the baflas are roasted until golden and cracked, then broken open and dunked in ghee. They are eaten with a thin, tangy toor dal tempered with cumin, garlic and red chilli, along with ladoos, chutney and raw onion. It is a heavy, festive meal best followed by a nap.

    At a glance

    RegionMadhya Pradesh
    CuisineMalwa
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time60 minutes
    Total time90 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientswhole wheat flour / toor dal / ghee / semolina

    Ingredients

    For the bafla

    • 2 cups coarse whole wheat flour (about 250 g)
    • 1/4 cup semolina
    • 1/2 tsp ajwain
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/4 tsp baking soda
    • 3 tbsp ghee
    • 1 tbsp curd
    • Water as needed
    • 1/2 cup melted ghee for dunking

    For the dal

    • 3/4 cup toor dal
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 3 cups water
    • 2 tbsp ghee
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 2 dry red chillies
    • 1 tbsp chopped garlic
    • 1 tomato, chopped
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1 tsp jaggery
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • Salt to taste
    • Coriander to garnish

    Method

    1. Mix the atta, semolina, ajwain, salt, turmeric and baking soda. Rub in 3 tbsp ghee and the curd, then add water gradually and knead into a firm dough. Rest for 15 minutes.
    2. Divide into 8 balls, smooth them, and press a light thumb dent in the centre of each.
    3. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add a pinch of turmeric and slide in the balls. Boil for 15-18 minutes; they will sink first and float when done. Remove and drain for 5 minutes.
    4. Bake the boiled baflas at 200 C for 25-30 minutes, turning once, until golden brown with cracks on the surface. They can also be roasted on a tandoor, an appe pan or over coals.
    5. Meanwhile pressure cook the dal with turmeric and water for 3 whistles. Mash well.
    6. Heat 2 tbsp ghee, add cumin, asafoetida, red chillies and garlic and fry until the garlic is golden. Add tomato, chilli and coriander powder and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the dal, add salt, jaggery and enough water for a pouring consistency, and simmer 5 minutes. Finish with lemon and coriander.
    7. While the baflas are hot, press each lightly to crack it open and dunk it in melted ghee for a few seconds.
    8. Serve the baflas broken into pieces, with a generous bowl of dal poured over or alongside.

    Tips

    • Coarse atta (or a mix with a little rava) gives the classic crumbly texture.
    • Bake the boiled baflas soon after draining; if they cool completely they turn chewy.
    • The amount of ghee is a matter of taste, but a proper bafla is dunked, not brushed.

    Serve with

    Raw onion, green chutney, lemon and churma or mawa bati for dessert.

  • Bhutte ka Kees

    Bhutte ka kees is a speciality of Indore and the Malwa region, where monsoon brings piles of fresh, milky corn cobs to the markets. At the Sarafa night market it is served in leaf bowls alongside garadu, sabudana khichdi and malpua, and at home it is a quick snack when the corn is at its best.

    Kees means grated. Tender corn is grated on a box grater, cooked in ghee with mustard seeds and green chillies, then simmered in milk until it thickens into a creamy, almost custard-like mass. Sugar, lemon, coconut and coriander balance it, so each spoonful is sweet, spicy, tangy and buttery all at once.

    At a glance

    RegionMadhya Pradesh
    CuisineMalwa
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSnack
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves3
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientscorn / milk / ghee / green chilli

    Ingredients

    • 4 tender corn cobs (desi or sweet corn)
    • 2 tbsp ghee
    • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1/2 tsp grated ginger
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 cup milk
    • 1 1/2 tsp sugar
    • Salt to taste
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 2 tbsp freshly grated coconut
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1/2 tsp jeeravan or chaat masala (optional)

    Method

    1. Remove the husk and silk and grate the corn cobs on the coarse side of a box grater, collecting the pulp and juice in a bowl. You should get about 2 cups.
    2. Heat the ghee in a heavy kadhai on medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them pop, then cumin, asafoetida, green chillies and ginger. Fry for 20 seconds.
    3. Add the grated corn and turmeric. Cook on medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring constantly, until the raw smell goes and the corn turns slightly translucent. It will stick if you stop stirring.
    4. Pour in the milk, add salt and sugar, and cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until the milk is absorbed and the mixture is thick and creamy.
    5. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
    6. Serve warm, topped with grated coconut, coriander and a sprinkle of jeeravan masala.

    Tips

    • Desi corn gives the traditional starchy, thick texture; sweet corn works but needs less sugar and slightly less milk.
    • Use a heavy pan – grated corn catches easily at the bottom.
    • Add a few spoons of extra milk if it thickens too much while standing.

    Serve with

    Eaten on its own as an evening snack, with a cup of tea.

  • Indori Poha

    Poha is a breakfast across western and central India, but Indore has made it a civic identity. Street stalls near Sarafa and Chappan Dukan serve it from huge steaming pans from early morning, usually with jalebi on the side. Indore's version is steamed rather than stir-fried, so the flakes stay soft and separate.

    Indori poha is sweeter and more aromatic than Maharashtrian kanda poha. Fennel seeds and a little sugar go into it, and the finishing touches are crucial: a sprinkle of jeeravan masala, a local blend of cumin, black salt, dried mango and other spices, plus thin ratlami sev, chopped onion, pomegranate and coriander. A squeeze of lemon brings it together.

    At a glance

    RegionMadhya Pradesh
    CuisineMalwa
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time15 minutes
    Total time25 minutes
    Serves3
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientspoha (flattened rice) / onion / fennel seeds / sev

    Ingredients

    For the poha

    • 2 cups thick poha
    • 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 8 curry leaves
    • 2 green chillies, chopped
    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp roasted peanuts

    For the topping

    • 1 tsp jeeravan masala
    • 1/2 cup ratlami or nylon sev
    • 1 small onion, finely chopped
    • 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • Lemon wedges

    Method

    1. Rinse the poha in a colander under running water for 20-30 seconds, tossing gently, until just softened. Drain well and leave for 5 minutes.
    2. Sprinkle sugar, salt and turmeric over the damp poha and fluff with your fingers so it is evenly coloured.
    3. Heat oil in a kadhai on medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter, then fennel, cumin, asafoetida, curry leaves and green chillies. Fry for 20 seconds.
    4. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes until translucent but not browned, then add the peanuts.
    5. Add the poha and toss gently to combine. Sprinkle 2 tbsp water over it.
    6. Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 4-5 minutes so the poha steams and turns soft and fluffy. Traditional stalls steam it in a pan set over boiling water.
    7. Serve on plates, topped generously with jeeravan masala, sev, raw onion, pomegranate and coriander, with lemon on the side.

    Tips

    • Do not soak the poha in a bowl – rinsing in a colander keeps the flakes from turning mushy.
    • No jeeravan masala? Mix roasted cumin powder, black salt, amchur, a pinch of black pepper and a little chaat masala.
    • Poha itself is gluten free, but most packaged sev contains wheat or is fried alongside it; check if needed.

    Serve with

    Hot jalebi and a cup of cutting chai.

  • Sel Roti

    Sel roti is the festive bread of Nepali-speaking communities in Sikkim, Darjeeling and Nepal, made in large quantities for Tihar and Dashain and for weddings. Families gather early in the morning to make them, and they are shared with neighbours and relatives and kept for days as a snack. Many households still keep the batter recipe by feel rather than measure.

    Rice soaked overnight is ground with sugar, ghee and mashed banana into a thick batter, then poured into hot oil in a large ring by hand. The roti puffs and browns, crisp at the edges and soft, spongy and chewy within, faintly sweet with the aroma of ghee and cardamom. It is eaten with tea, with aloo dum or with yogurt.

    At a glance

    RegionSikkim
    CuisineSikkimese
    DietVegetarian
    CourseBread
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / sugar / ghee / banana

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups raw rice (sona masoori or local rice), soaked overnight
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1 ripe banana, mashed
    • 3 tbsp ghee, melted
    • 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
    • 1/2 cup milk or water, as needed
    • A pinch of baking soda (optional)
    • Oil for deep frying

    Method

    1. Drain the soaked rice well and spread it on a cloth for 15 minutes to remove excess water.
    2. Grind the rice with sugar and banana, adding milk a little at a time, to a fine, thick batter that flows slowly like thick pancake batter. It should not feel gritty when rubbed between fingers.
    3. Stir in the melted ghee and cardamom. Cover and rest for 1-2 hours at room temperature. Add the baking soda just before frying if using.
    4. Heat the oil in a deep kadhai on medium heat until a drop of batter rises immediately with steady bubbles.
    5. Take a handful of batter in your fist, or fill a squeeze bottle, and pour it into the oil in a large ring about 12 cm across, closing the circle where you started.
    6. Fry for about 1 minute until the underside is golden, then flip with a long stick or skewer and fry another minute until both sides are reddish-golden.
    7. Lift out with the skewer through the centre and drain on a rack. Fry the rest, stirring the batter between batches.

    Tips

    • If the ring breaks up in the oil, the batter is too thin – add a spoon of rice flour.
    • Practise the ring shape on a plate with a squeeze bottle before trying it in the oil.
    • Keep the oil at a steady medium; too hot and the outside browns while the inside stays raw.

    Serve with

    Milky tea, aloo dum or thick yogurt.

  • Chak-hao Kheer

    Chak-hao is the aromatic black rice of Manipur, which received a GI tag in 2020. It was once grown for royalty and is still central to feasts and religious occasions, where chak-hao amubi, the black rice pudding, is served as the closing sweet. The rice is high in anthocyanins, which give it its colour.

    When cooked slowly in milk, the grains release a deep violet colour and a nutty, slightly earthy flavour that sets it apart from regular kheer. The texture is chewier and less mushy, and only a little sugar and cardamom are needed. It is served warm in winter and chilled in summer, sometimes topped with chopped nuts.

    At a glance

    RegionManipur
    CuisineManipuri
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time60 minutes
    Total time70 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsblack rice / milk / sugar / cardamom

    Ingredients

    • 1/3 cup chak-hao (Manipuri black rice), soaked overnight
    • 1 litre full-fat milk
    • 1 cup water
    • 1/3 cup sugar
    • 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
    • 1 bay leaf (optional)
    • 1 tbsp chopped cashews
    • 1 tbsp raisins

    Method

    1. Drain the soaked black rice. Cook it with 1 cup water in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles on medium heat, or simmer in a covered pan for 30 minutes, until soft.
    2. Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pan with the bay leaf.
    3. Add the cooked rice with any remaining water to the milk. Simmer on low heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring every few minutes and scraping the bottom so it does not stick.
    4. When the milk has reduced by about a third and the kheer is a deep purple and creamy, add the sugar. Stir and simmer for 5 more minutes.
    5. Stir in the cardamom powder, cashews and raisins and remove the bay leaf.
    6. Serve warm, or cool and refrigerate for 2-3 hours to serve chilled. It thickens considerably as it cools.

    Tips

    • Black rice takes much longer than white rice to soften – do not skip the overnight soak.
    • Add the sugar only after the rice is fully cooked; sugar hardens rice grains that are still firm.
    • Thin the chilled kheer with a little cold milk if it sets too thick.

    Serve with

    Served warm in small bowls at the end of a festive meal.

  • Jadoh

    Jadoh is the signature dish of the Khasi and Jaintia people of Meghalaya. In Shillong's Police Bazaar and Laitumkhrah, small jadoh stalls serve it from dawn, often with pork offal, fried fish or a pork curry, and it is the meal people head to after a long night or a cold morning walk.

    It is rice cooked in pork fat and stock with plenty of ginger, onion and turmeric, so each grain turns yellow, glossy and savoury. Traditional versions use the local red rice and sometimes cook the rice with pig's blood (jadoh snam). The version here uses pork pieces and ordinary rice, and is mildly spiced so the meat and ginger lead.

    At a glance

    RegionMeghalaya
    CuisineKhasi
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseRice
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time50 minutes
    Total time70 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / pork / ginger / onion / turmeric

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 cups short-grain or local red rice, washed and soaked 20 minutes
    • 400 g pork with some fat, cut into small 2 cm pieces
    • 2 tbsp pork fat or oil
    • 2 onions, finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped or crushed
    • 1 tbsp garlic, crushed
    • 1 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 2 green chillies, slit
    • 3 1/2 cups hot water
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Put the pork pieces in a heavy pot on medium heat with 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until the water evaporates and the fat starts to render.
    2. Add the pork fat or oil and fry the pork on medium heat for 5-6 minutes until lightly browned.
    3. Add the onions, ginger, garlic and bay leaves and fry for 6-8 minutes until the onions are soft and golden.
    4. Stir in turmeric, black pepper, green chillies and salt and cook for 1 minute.
    5. Drain the rice and add it to the pot. Stir gently for 2 minutes so every grain is coated in the fat and turns yellow.
    6. Pour in the hot water, bring to a boil, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 18-20 minutes until the rice is cooked and the water absorbed. Red rice may need 10 minutes longer and a little more water.
    7. Turn off the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes, then fluff gently and serve.

    Tips

    • Do not skimp on ginger – it is the dominant flavour after the pork.
    • For a lighter dish, use chicken thighs instead of pork, though it is then no longer classic jadoh.
    • Leftover jadoh reheats well with a splash of water in a covered pan.

    Serve with

    Doh khlieh (pork salad), a pork curry, or a fiery tomato chutney.