Chirer Polao/Bengali Style Flattened Rice Pilaf

An easy, tasty and very satisfying Chirer Polao deliciously brings together different veggies, peanuts, slightly aromatic warming spices and a touch of sweet note from raisins and sugar. It takes only half an hour to make with simple pantry ingredients. Flatten rice pilaf is called poha in other parts of India as a very popular breakfast and it is sold by street food vendors. They make it very savory with less veggies.  

Chirey(Flattened rice or beaten rice)is partially cooked rice, pounded into a flat shape(thick or thin), then dried until it hardened is very popular in India and some other countries. It is served by toasting, frying, soaking or as is. It makes great sweet and savory dishes in a short time.

Chirer Polao was either late afternoon snack or lunch for school in my growing up years. It brings back a lot of nostalgia. I got obsessed with cooking since I was in seventh grade. But Ma never allowed me to go to near clay cooking stove. Then in high school, I was able to cook certain things with Ma's supervision and sometimes all by myself. This pilaf was one of the few dishes that I learned when I was in high school. I used to make Chirer Polao and Bengali Chow Mein on a kerosene stove top without any help from Ma before going to school. Ma made it in winter months with colorful veggies, peanuts and raisins. Rest of the year, potato, onion and peanut would be the only main ingredients and we enjoyed it with tea. I make yellow and white which doesn't make any difference in taste though. Using ghee at the end is optional as Ma never used store bought ghee in any of cooking unless she made it. Flattened rice is available in any Indian groceries. Here is my very simple to follow recipe, veggie laden Chirer Polao. It serves 4-5. 

Once upon a time these simple meals used to be my school lunch

Ingredients~

3 cups thick chirey/flattened rice

1 heaping cup small florets 

1/2 cup potato, small diced

1/2 cup carrot, small diced

1 cup green beans, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup green peas

1/2 tsp minced ginger

4 chilies, two slightly two finely chopped

1/2 cup roasted peanut

1/2 cup raisin 

1/2 -3/4 tsp salt or as per taste

1/4 heaping tsp. sugar or as per taste

1 bay leaf 

1 small cinnamon stick

1 dry red chili

Two small pieces of cinnamon  sticks, two of each cardamom and clove, grounded to a smooth gorom moshla powder 

4 tbsp oil

2 tbsp water

Method~

Rinse well chirey under cold running water using fine mesh strainer. Gently stir with finger to avoid mushiness. It takes less than 30 seconds. Chirey swells up very quickly. Place chirey on a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess water and set aside.

Heat oil in a  heavy bottomed wide pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick and dry red chili. Add in ginger and fry for 10 seconds followed by hard vegetables first including sliced chilies with salt (and turmeric if using) and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the rest of the veggies and continue cooking with the lid on low heat until tender but firm. Add the roasted peanuts, raisins, sugar and garom moshla. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes. At last add chirey, and gently stir to mix with the veggies. Taste and adjust seasonings. Sprinkle little water a couple of times. Make sure chirey doesn't break. Enjoy with tea or as is.  

Happy Cooking!