BIRBAL KHICHRI: THEN AND NOW

Now, thanks to Michelin-starred chef Suvir Saran, you can make this proverbial khichri and eat it too!

Remember the ’90s show Akbar Birbal on Zee TV? Anyone who has watched the serial or spent a significant amount of time in the company of North Indian grandparents will know the phrase ‘Birbal ki khichri’. The khichri in the popular story is not an actual dish but a proverbial one, and the moral is that a ray of hope is all it takes to inspire a hardworking person to realise his dreams.

Drawing from this story, Michelin-starred chef Suvir Saran has created a recipe by the same name. “With this, I wanted to share that even humble beginnings can take one soaring with pride into the stratosphere. If a bimaaron ki khichri (khichri for patients) can be turned into a gourmet dining experience, humans too can reach for the stars with their own drive, vision and determination when there is a level playing field and societal support,” says the sprightly chef who has returned to India after a successful stint in the US and launched The House of Celeste restaurant in Gurgaon.

Why a khichri though? “When I crave comfort food, it is most often dreams of khichri that captivate my imagination,” he says.

BACK TO ROOTS

Khichri, perhaps one of India’s most-loved soul foods, is essentially a one-pot meal of lentils, rice and the side. Follow the recipe a few times and then begin to play with the flavours and simplify it as you like,” he adds.

How did this dish make it to his home? “I belong to the Kayasth community, who were the first Hindus to marry into the Muslim community. They were the epitome