Bhat Bhaja is something I cook whenever I have leftover rice at home. Simple, flavorful, easy to cook, and most importantly leftover utilization makes it worth cooking. I cook it whenever I have leftover rice available and also have less time to cook. This is a comforting rice preparation and ideal for kids' lunchboxes. In fact. we love to take it as office lunch as well.
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- Bhat Bhaja at home!
- Is Bengali Bhat Bhaja Pulao?
- My recipe for Bhatbhaja!
- Here's how I cook Bengali Bhat Bhaja at Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Recipe Card
- Rice Recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Have you tried the Bengali Bhat Bhaja recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Here's the Bhaja bhat aka Bhatbhaja Pin for your Pinterest Board!
Bhat Bhaja at home!
While growing up Bhaja Bhat used to be a special treat. Though, at my ancestral house, my mother and aunts mostly used fresh rice or at times leftovers from lunch to make the treat for the junior members of the household. In a joint family, at times, there are fewer options to make kids happy. considering the restricted budget and family norms. My family was no different. Maa, Mamoni, and Rangama though tried their best to cook simple delicacies for the kids. Bhat Bhaja is one such dish. I cannot compare it with the aristocracy of Basanti Pulao or the presence of Ghee Bhat. Yet, it was special and almost a close competition to Pulao.
Is Bengali Bhat Bhaja Pulao?
No, it is not Pulao. Instead, you can compare it with fried rice. Name-wise at least. Basically, Bhaja bhat is the Bengali version of fried rice. It is just that we mostly cook it when we have leftover rice available. The recipe, needless to say, is easier. The ingredients are simple, mostly a few vegetables. YOu don't necessarily need Basmati rice to cook it. In fact, boiled rice aka Shiddho Chal is ideal for making Bhat Bhaja.
My recipe for Bhatbhaja!
I don't follow a hard and fast rule while selecting veggies for bhatbhaja. I use whatever I am available with. Mostly, I do not use onion while cooking it. In my place, I always have seen my mother and aunts make a no onion no garlic fried rice aka Bhaja Bhat. It is a matter of choice. Ghee is a must and although in the recipe I have mentioned 1 Tbsp. Ghee, however, I prefer to add some more!
Here's how I cook Bengali Bhat Bhaja at Debjanir Rannaghar!
Recipe Card
Bhat Bhaja | Bengali Bhaja Bhat
Bhat Bhaja is a Bengali-style fried rice cooked with leftover rice and veggies
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Cooked Rice
- 1 Carrot
- 2 Beans
- 1 cup Green Peas
- 1 Potato
- 1 " Ginger
- 20 Cashewnut optional
- 20 Raisin optional
- 2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 2 Green Chili
- 1 Tsp. Bengali Garam Masala Powder
- 1 Tbsp. Sugar
- 1 Tsp. Black Pepper Powder
- 2 Tsp. Salt to taste
- 1 Tbsp. Ghee
- 4 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
Tempering:
- 1 Whole Cinnamon Stick
- 2 Bay leaf
- 2 Dry Red Chilli
- 5 Clove
- 4 Green Cardamom
- 2 Black Cardamom
Instructions
- Leftover rice is ideal for this recipe. You must use properly cooked rice with the grains intact.
- Peel the skin of Carrot and Potato.
- Cut both into long strips or very small squares. You may refer to the picture.
- Cut beans into medium strips and ginger into julienne.
- Now cut green chilies and soak with lemon juice.
- Take a pan and heat the oil and also the ghee.
- Fry both cashew nut and raisin and strain from the pan.
- Temper the oil with Whole Cinnamon Stick, Bay leaf, Dry Red Chilli, Clove, Green Cardamom, and also Black Cardamom.
- Now fry Potato and Carrot followed by Beans and also green chilies.
- While frying, add ½ Tsp. Salt.
- Once done, add ginger and cook for a minute.
- At this point add black pepper powder and also sugar.
- Mix and cook for a minute.
- Now add cooked rice and fry it with the veggies for around 5 minutes.
- Add fried cashew nuts and also raisins.
- Once done, adjust salt and add green chilies soaked in lemon juice and mix.
- Now add Bengali Garam Masala and give a final mix.
- If you wish, you can add 1 Tbsp. Ghee again and mix.
- Serve it hot with your choice of curry.
Notes
- I do not add Onion while cooking Vat Bhaja. You can, however, add it. In fact, you can add fried chicken or fried paneer as well.
- Veggies are optional. Use whatever you are available that goes well with the fried rice type of preparation. You can use bell pepper, zucchini, cauliflower, and even broccoli.
- Instead of Ghee, you can use only oil. If you wish try Olive oil though that will not give you the distinct flavor of Bhatbhaja.
Nutrition
Rice Recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Pishpash (also known as Anglo-Indian Rice and Chicken Hotchpotch or pishpash)
- Dhakai Morog Pulao (also known as Sahi Morog Pulao)
- Birista Pulao (also known as Piyaz Beresta Pulao)
- Bou Khuda (also known as Boua Pulao or Bou Khudi pulao)
- Kolkata Mutton Biryani (also known as Calcutta Biryani)
- Crab Biryani (also known as Crab Dum Biryani or Nandu Biryani)
- Ghee Bhat (also known as Bengali Sweet Pulao)
- Bengali Basanti Pulao (also known as Bengali Holud Pulao or Bhoger Misti Pulao)
- Ilish Pulao (also known as Bengali Hilsa Pulao)
- Peas Pulao (also known as Matar Pulao)
- Awadhi Vegetable Tehri (also known as veg Tahiri)
- Bangladeshi Mutton Tehari (also known as ghost Tehari)
- Muri Ghonto (also known as Bengali muro ghonto)
- Khejur Gurer Payesh (also known as Bengali Rice Kheer with Date Palm Jaggery)
- Chaler Payesh (also known as Bengali Rice Kheer)
Have you tried the Bengali Bhat Bhaja recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
I would love to see a picture if you are making it following my recipe which you can share here at [email protected]. You can use my hashtag #debjanirrannaghar and share it through Instagram as well. and in addition, you can tag me at @foodofdebjani.
Here's the Bhaja bhat aka Bhatbhaja Pin for your Pinterest Board!
About Debjani Chatterjee Alam
I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.
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