Bundelkhandi mahera
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Rice or coarse grain slow-cooked in buttermilk with a light tempering, a cooling dish of dry Bundelkhand.
Region: Bundelkhand (Jhansi, Lalitpur, Banda, Mahoba, Hamirpur)Occasion: Summer lunchTime: 45 minServes: 4Vegetarian
Ingredients
- ½ cup rice (or broken jowar)
- 4 cups thin buttermilk (chhachh), slightly sour
- 1 tbsp ghee
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- A pinch of hing
- 1 dry red chilli
- Salt to taste
Method
- Wash the rice and cook it in 1 cup water until half done.
- Pour in the buttermilk and add salt. Bring slowly to a simmer, stirring so it does not split.
- Cook on low heat, stirring often, until the rice is very soft and the mix is like a thin porridge, 20–25 minutes.
- Heat ghee, add cumin, hing and the red chilli and pour over.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
History
In the dry Bundelkhand region, buttermilk and coarse grains have long been everyday foods; mahera makes use of both.
Significance
Mahera is eaten in the hot months as a light, cooling meal and is also given to people recovering from illness.