Gobindobhog rice must be widely known to anyone from Bengal. Not just Bengal, but also Odisha is acclimated to this abundantly used rice type. If you just happened to stumble across this without knowing anything about it, we've gathered the information for you that will give you a good concept about it and show you how to use the rice to make delicious one-pot meals in your home.
Short-grain, white, aromatic, and sticky rice is known as gobindobhog. When cooking on special events or making offerings to gods, a lot of rice is used. This is also the origin of the rice's name. Thus, the meaning of the word Gobindobhog is offerings to Gobindo. (or Govinda). However, on all significant festivals, rice is offered to gods.
This rice's sweet, buttery, and floral scent makes it a favourite. Cooked Gobindobhog rice is distinguished from other varieties by its delicate flavours.
Gobindbhog Khichdi: Khichdi is a straightforward, nutrient-dense food that can be prepared in just one pot. By utilising fragrant Gobindhobhog rice, Bengalis take this one step farther. In a khichdi, the rice is sautéed alongside dry-roasted moong dal. Bengalis always enjoy their meal of khichdi with a side of fries, even though a Gobindobhog khichuri is best served with a dollop of desi ghee and may not require any side dishes. To the khichdi, you can add some delicious side dishes.
Gobindobhog Basanti Pulao: Many times a vegetarian biryani is better referred to as a pulao. That's unfortunate because pulao has long been connected to meat. Consult one of Lucknow's renowned biryani restaurants. Yakhni Pulao with chicken is a prime example. In any case, during holy occasions, a rice-based dish commonly made using Gobindobhog rice and served with a vegetable curry is referred to as Basanti Pulao. This is comparable to the Kanika that is made in Odisha on important occasions. Is basanti pulao influenced by Odia Kanika given that it was served to Lord Jagannath at the Puri Temple? However, Bengalis now prepare them whenever there is a guest at home or on special occasions like birthdays due to affordability. In such cases, it is provided with a chicken or mutton dish.
Gobindobhog Chaler Biryani: Kachhi biryani is well-known in Bangladesh and India as a dish linked with Hyderabad. Bangladesh makes this dish with kalo jeera rice, whilst Hyderabad utilises the long-grain, fragrant basmati rice. Awadhi Biryani from Lucknow's descendant, the pakki form of biryani, is made in Kolkata and Bengal. Both the history and the flavours of Kolkata chicken biryani are fascinating. Gobindobhog rice biryani blends the highly fragrant and tasty gobindobhog rice with the kachhi method of cooking. This has a delicate aroma and is distinctive. Do try it out!
Payesh: Payesh is the one recipe in Bengal that is always prepared with Gobindobhog rice. Gobindobhog rice, which is also known as kheer or payasam in other Indian languages, is the secret weapon that may transform this dish from good to outstanding. The dish is worth longing for because of the aroma of the rice and the added starch content. When it's cold outside, date palm jaggery replaces the payesh's sugar to provide the much-needed warmth throughout the chilly months of December and January.
Muri Ghonto: Frugality has always been a way of life in Bengal. The general populace has always made the most of every item available because the area has seen droughts, famines, floods, and partition. A meal like this is murighonto. Bengalis use the head and tail of the fish in a variety of ways, while urban residents may discard them. When the fish head is cooked with savoury gobindobhog rice, vegetables like potatoes, and a variety of spices, it creates a mish mash that is affectionately referred to as murighonto, where "muri" is the name for the fish head and "ghonto" is a general term used in Bengali for mish-mash curries. The dish's flavour profile is intricate. You have the melt-in-your-mouth fish on the one hand, and the flavours of the veggies on the other. You can taste spices that are not overpowering on the palate on the one hand, and you can smell the aroma of gobindobhog rice on the other. You can serve murighonto curry with rice. But watch out for those pointed skull bones. Definitely, something you should try once in a lifetime.