Bengali Chirer Pulao For Breakfast – Try This Quick Dish
Image Credit: Chirer pulao is sweeter than poha | Instagram - @theindiegirlove

Breakfast habits are different in different places of the world and different parts of our country too. Some start their day with a simple toast while others eat a ghee-laden paratha or masala dosa with sambhar. Some call it nashta while other people call it tiffin. But what is similar in all of these differences is the motive to start the day on a good note. A hearty breakfast decides how the rest of the day will turn out to be. So, it is very important that the first meal of the day is according to one's taste and choice. And if you ask Bengalis what their choice of breakfast is, there is a fair chance that many would name a dish called chirer pulao.

Chirer pulao is basically the Bengali version of poha. It is a dish that is widely eaten over West Bengal and by bengalis who live in other parts of the country as well. Slightly sweeter then the regular puha that you eat, chirer pulao literally means pulao made out of flattened rice or chiwda. It is a very quick dish to make an extremely filling and healthy to eat early in the morning. It is often packed as tiffin for kids as well as office goers. Let us look at us simple recipe for it.

Chirer pulao | Instagram - @eatfitstylelive

  • 1 bowl soaked flattened rice or chiwda
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp jeera powder
  • ½ tsp grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • A few cashews and raisins
  • 1 Sliced onion
  • A handful roasted peanuts

Method

  • In a pan, heat up two tablespoonfuls of ghee.
  • When the key is heated up, add the grated ginger and cook for a minute.
  • Next, add the sliced onions and cook till they are light brown in colour.
  • Now, add the jeera and the turmeric powder and cook for a couple more minutes.
  • The color changes, you can slowly add the soaked and completely drained flattened rice and mix it well in the pan along with the spices.
  • Next, add the sugar and the salt and make still all the sugar melts. Stir continuously on a low flame so that the chiwra does not stick to the pan. 
  • Put your pan on a high flame and finally add the roasted peanuts, cashew nuts and raisins.
  • Turn off the heat and serve the chirer pulao hot. You can also pack it as your tiffin for the day.