Nothing signals the arrival of the weekend better than a plate of phulko luchi paired with some chholar dal, alur torkari or payesh. Be it for a Sunday brekkie or a late lunch, the luchi can fit into any weekend menu. But the bigger question is, how do you pair your luchi? With a side of begun bhaja, some luscious dal or a hearty chochchori? Here are some options that can influence you this weekend.
‘Chhola diye kumror torkari’
What happens when a hearty and protein-rich kumror torkari meets the fluffy luchi? You get the perfect weekend meal!
Ingredients:
- Ripe pumpkin cut into small cubes: 300 gm
- Boiled brown chana: 1 small cup
- Five spices: 1 tablespoon
- Dry red chillies: 2
- Bay leaf: 1 large
- Lime juice: 1 tablespoon
- Turmeric powder: 1 tablespoon
- Red chilli powder: ½ tablespoon
- Roughly chopped coriander leaves: 2-3 tablespoons
- Slit green chillies: 2-3
- Sugar
- Salt
- Mustard oil
Recipe:
- Heat mustard oil in a kadhai and add the bay leaf and dry red chillies. Saute till the red chillies and bay leaf change colour
- Add the five spices (paanch phoron) and temper
- Add the pumpkin pieces and saute for 3-4 minutes
- Now add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, some salt and sugar and green chillies and mix well
- Cook for another 2-3 minutes and add some water
- Once the pumpkin is 90% cooked, add the boiled chana and mix. Cook till the pumpkin is ready and add lime juice
- Check the seasoning, add coriander leaves and serve with gorom gorom luchi!
‘Narkel diye chholar dal’
A popular number on rainy weekends — the chholar dal has a mild sweetness that accents the nuttiness of the coconut perfectly and also boasts a slight crunchiness. Add in some begun bhaja and you’ve got yourself one of the best Bengali comfort meals!
Ingredients:
- Soaked split Bengal gram: 300 gm
- Finely chopped coconut: 8-10 tablespoons
- Whole cumin: ½ tablespoon
- Dry red chillies: 2
- Bay leaf: 1 large
- Slit green chillies: 2
- Turmeric powder: ½ tablespoon
- Sugar
- Salt
- Mustard oil
- Soaked raisins: 2-3 tablespoons (Optional)
- Ghee
Recipe:
- Boil the dal (keep the grains whole if possible)
- Saute the chopped coconut in ghee till it turns golden or you can also add it while cooking the dal
- On a kadhai, add some mustard oil and heat well. Add the bay leaf and red chillies and temper
- Add whole cumin and saute well
- Now, add the dal, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes before adding water
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, add sugar and green chillies
- Add the chopped coconut (and raisins too if you like)
- Give the dal another 5 minutes as you check the seasoning meanwhile
- Pour some ghee from the top and turn off the heat
‘Gola chochchori’
This slightly tangy, veggie mishmash can be a great accompaniment to your luchi. Add in some fried fritters for a side of indulgence.
Ingredients:
- Potatoes cut into small dices: 4-5 large
- Eggs: 3
- Five spices: 1 tablespoon
- Dry red chilli: 2
- Bay leaf: 1
- Chopped onion: 1 large
- Chopped tomato: 1 large
- Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tablespoon
- Slit green chilli: 2-3
- Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon
- Turmeric powder: 1 tablespoon
- Red chilli powder: ½ tablespoon
- Sugar
- Salt
- Mustard oil
Recipe:
- Heat mustard oil in a kadhai, add the bay leaf, dry red chillies and fry till they change colour
- Add the five spices and temper
- Now, add the onions and cook till they turn golden brown
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 3-4 minutes before adding the potatoes. Next goes the tomatoes. Sprinkle some salt along with adding the turmeric powder and red chilli powder
- Cook on low to medium flame for 5-7 minutes and add water. Once the potato is fully cooked, add lemon juice, green chillies and balance the seasoning with some sugar
- Beat the eggs well and add in the gravy. Stir constantly for an egg-drop effect.
Tip:
- You can add 1-2 cardamom pods with the bay leaf
‘Alur sada chochchori’
This classic, buttery gravy syncs perfectly with luchi, ruti, bhaat, pauruti and whatnot. It’s light and yet mildly creamy, which makes it perfect for breakfast.
Ingredients:
- Potatoes cut into thin slices or small dices: 4-5 large
- Black cumin seeds: ½ tablespoon
- Slit green chillies: 2-3
- Turmeric powder: ½ teaspoon (Optional)
- Salt
- Sugar
- Butter: 3-4 tablespoons
- Mustard oil: 2-3 tablespoons
Recipe:
- Heat butter and mustard oil on a kadhai
- Add the black cumin seeds and green chillies and temper the spices well
- Add the potatoes, a pinch of salt and turmeric powder. Mix well and cook on low to medium heat for 6-7 minutes
- Add water and cook till the potatoes are ready
- Now add sugar and check the seasoning
- Once the gravy is ready, add some butter from the top if you like and dig in
‘Sooji halwa’
You can also pair your luchi with a hearty Soojir halwa bathed in ghee with loads of cashews and raisins. You can also have this dessert with some crispy parathas!
Ingredients:
- Semolina: 200 gm
- Full fat milk: 1l
- Cashew: 10-12
- Milk-soaked raisins: 10-12
- Pista: 5-6 (Optional)
- Sliced almonds: 8-10 (Optional)
- Condensed milk: 8-10 tablespoons (Optional)
- Sugar
- Bay leaf: 1 large
- Cardamom: 2
- Ghee
- Vegetable oil
Recipe:
- Dry roast semolina and keep aside
- Give the milk one full boil and set that aside too
- Add ghee and vegetable oil to a kadhai.
- Once the ghee + oil has been heated well, add the bay leaf and cardamom pods. Temper well
- Add the milk and give one good stir. Add sugar, lower the flame and give it another boil
- Add the semolina, stir well and cover. Keep the flame low and check occasionally
- Once the halwa is almost ready, add condensed milk and dry fruits. Mix well and serve hot
‘Payesh’
The luchi can be the perfect vehicle for savouring some creamy, luscious payesh, if you’re not too fond of spoons. You can opt for a simple rice pudding or chaler payesh or go for the more indulgent winter delicacy, nolen gurer payesh.
Ingredients:
- Gobindobhog rice: 50 gm
- Full fat milk: 1 and ½ litre
- Khoya kheer: 200 gm
- Sugar: 1 cup (Medium)
- Cardamom pods: 2
- Bay leaf: 1 large
- Cashew: 50 gm
- Raisins: 20 gm
- Ghee: 1 and ½ tablespoon
Recipe:
- Wash the rice and pat dry
- Coat the rice in ghee and set aside
- Pour milk into a large container. Add bay leaf and cardamom pods and set it to boil on low flame till the milk has begun to thicken and reduce. Keep stirring occasionally
- Add rice. Cover and cook till the rice is almost ready
- Add sugar and khoya kheer, mix well
- Now, add the cashews and raisins
- Check consistency and sweetness
- Serve hot or refrigerate and serve cold
Tip:
If you want to make gurer payesh, add jaggery once the payesh is absolutely ready and the flame is off
