Tudkiya Bhat is a delicious flavourful rice pulao, cooked using spices like cinnamon, bay leaf, chilli powder, ginger, garlic, cardamom, lentils, potatoes, onions, and yoghurt.

Serve Tudkiya Bhat with a side of Mashed dal/ Kangra Teliya Mah and lime… the ultimate comfort food!

Tukdiya Bhat, a Himachal Pradesh Specialty

Potatoes are used a lot in Himachal Pradesh Cuisine so it is no wonder that potatoes are used to make this rice. In addition, lentils added to the rice boost the protein content of the rice.

This month in the group Shhhhh Secretly Cooking we are exploring Himachal Pradesh cuisine and I am paired with Poonam who blogs at Annapurna.  Do check her blog for some amazing recipes like the Himachal Pradesh  Dhaam festival, her recent post is about the amazingly delicious mango dishes.   Do check them out.

In Shhhhh Secretly Cooking, once we signup we are paired with other bloggers. We get in touch with one another and exchange two ingredients, which need to star in the food we cook for the region. Poonam gave me ghee and cinnamon as my ingredients while I gave her oil and curds.

This is a great way to explore new cuisine, make new friends. Do try this group out.

Shhh Secretly Challenge

The beautiful state of Himachal Pradesh offers a wide range of lip-smacking and savoury food items. The cuisine of Himachal Pradesh has a significant influence on the Punjabi and Tibetan style of food. The people of Himachal Pradesh prefer very spicy food items.

In their daily and regular routine Himachal Pradesh people have simple North Indian dishes that are easy to make and very tasty to eat. As compared to other states in north India, non-vegetarian cuisine is more preferred.

Traditionally, Himachal Pradesh cuisine is dominated by red meat and wheat bread, thick and rich gravy, with aromatic spices, used in abundance as the base of many dishes. Until recently, tubers like potatoes and turnips were all they ate in the name of vegetables. Green vegetables, however, are increasingly finding their way into Himachali food.

One of the most important food items of the people of Himachal Pradesh is Dal and Chawal or plain rice and pulses, which are a very common food item of the north Indians.

Another delicious food of the region that is famous in is Roti Sabzi or flatbread made up of wheat and vegetable curry.

However, there may be local variations. For instance, in the barren regions of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti, there is more emphasis on locally grown coarse grains like buckwheat, millet and barley. In areas with a pastoral tradition, milk and its products are liberally used in cooking.

Himachal Pradesh cuisine was something that I had tried in the past when we did Indian Food Odyssey and had made chana madra.  Recently for #BreadBakers, I made Siddu, delicious speciality of the state.

Now enough of this and let us check out Tukdiya Bhat. First, my masala was a bit too much please use half the masala or double the rice.  What I made was more of a biryani than a khichidi which it is supposed to be (I hope I am correct) as I have not tasted the authentic Tukdiya Bhat… yet!

The recipe for Tukdiya Bhat is something that I could find, I must thank Poonam as she sent me the link which gave a hint of Tukdiya Bhat from here. Both Poonam and I agreed it has to be like a khichidi.

Tukdiya Bhat, a Himachal Pradesh Specialty

Tukdiya Bhat

• Serves: 3 people
• Preparation Time:  20 minutes
• Cooking Time: 20 minutes
• Passive Time: 30 minutes

Method:

For the Rice:

• 1 cup rice
• 1/2 cup masoor(whole)
• 1 onion
• 2 potato
• 1/2 cup thick curds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cardamom
• 1 cardamom black
• 1 cinnamon sticks
• 2 tbsp ghee

To grind:

• 1 tomato
• 1 onions
• 1 inch ginger
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 coriander leaves a small bunch
• 2 green chillies
• 1 cardamom
• 1 cardamom black
• 1 cinnamon sticks
• 2-3 mace strands
• 2 star anise
• 2 dagad phool
• 2  nagkesar /maggi 
• 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
• 2 cloves
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (optional)

Method:

• Grind the ingredients under to grind to a fine paste. Transfer to a big bowl.  
• Peel and chop the potatoes in batons about 1/2 in long and 1/4 inch thick.
• Add the potatoes to the ground masala. Add salt and mix well. Let it sit for about 30 minutes. Mine was kept in the fridge overnight.
• Wash and soak the masoor in water. Set aside for about 30 minutes.
• Wash and rinse the rice. Soak in 2 cups of water.
• Meanwhile, chop the onions finely.
• Heat the ghee in a cooker add  1 bay leaf,1 cardamom,1 cardamom black, 1 cinnamon stick and sauté till you get a nice aroma.
• Add the onions and sauté until translucent.
• Add the ground masala and stir fry till you get a nice aroma.
• Add the curds and stir fry till the oil separates out.
• Add the drained rice and masoor and add 3 cups of warm water.
• Adjust the seasonings. Mix well.  
• Cover with the cooker lid and cook for 2 whistles on high flame.
• Let the pressure drop naturally.
• Open the cooker, fluff the rice and serve with Mashed dal/ Kangra Teliya Mah and lime.

Tukdiya Bhat, a Himachal Pradesh Specialty

Tukdiya Bhat

Tudkiya Bhat is a delicious flavourful rice pulao, the ultimate comfort food!

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Bachelor Recipes, Brunch, Dinner, Kid-Friendly, Main Course, Protein Rich Diet, Simple and Healthy Diet

Cuisine: Himachal Pradesh, Indian, North Indian

Keyword: Himachal Pradesh Cuisine, Indian Cuisine, Protein-Rich Food, Rice Recipes, Tukdiya Bhat

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 3 people

Calories:

Ingredients

For the Rice:

• 1 cup Rice
• 1/2 cup masoor whole
• 1 Onion
• 2 Potato
• 1/2 cup thick curds
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 cardamom
• 1 cardamom black
• 1 Cinnamon sticks
• 2 tbsp Ghee

To grind:

• 1 Tomato
• 1 Onions
• 1 inch Ginger
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 leaves Coriander a small bunch
• 2 green chilles
• 1 cardamom
• 1 cardamom black
• 1 Cinnamon sticks
• 2-3 mace strands
• 2 star anise
• 2 dagad phool
• 2 marath magu/ nag chafa
• 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
• 2 Cloves
• 1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder optional

• 1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder optional

Instructions

• Grind the ingredients under to grind to a fine paste. Transfer to a big bowl.
• Peel and chop the potatoes in batons about 1/2 in long and 1/4 inch thick.
• Add the potatoes to the ground masala. Add salt and mix well. Let it sit for about 30 minutes. Mine was kept in the fridge overnight.
• Wash and soak the masoor in water. Set aside for about 30 minutes.
• Wash and rinse the rice. Soak in 2 cups of water.
• Meanwhile, chop the onions finely.
• Heat the ghee in a cooker add 1 bay leaf,1 cardamom,1 cardamom black, 1 cinnamon stick and sauté till you get a nice aroma.
• Add the onions and sauté until translucent.
• Add the ground masala and stir fry till you get a nice aroma.
• Add the curds and stir fry till the oil separates out.
• Add the drained rice and masoor and add 3 cups of warm water.
• Adjust the seasonings. Mix well.
• Cover with the cooker lid and cook for 2 whistles on high flame.
• Let the pressure drop naturally.
• Open the cooker, fluff the rice and serve with Mashed dal/ Kangra Teliya Mah and lime.

Tried this recipe?Mention @themadscientistskitchen or tag #themadscientistkitchen!

Tukdiya Bhat, a Himachal Pradesh Specialty