Name: Panta Bhaat (Bengali-style Fermented Rice) recipe by Trisha Rudra at BetterButter
Prep time: 480 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 495 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Cooked rice - 2 cups, short-grain preferably, if not, use any rice.; Mustard Oil - 1/2 cup; Potato or Aloo Bharta/Makha - mashed boiled potatoes, fried red chilies and garlic.; Posto baata/Raw Poppy-seed paste - 2 tbsp/50 gm poppy seeds, soaked and ground, with salt, topped with chopped onion and chilies; Peyanji/Onion fritters/Bhajiya - 2 sliced onions, 1/2 cup besan, 1 tsp kalonji, few green chilies; Coarsely chopped raw onions; Green Chilies; 2 or 3 burnt red chilies; Salt to taste; A few wedges of lime; Water - 3 to 4 cups

ABOUT Panta Bhaat (Bengali-style Fermented Rice) RECIPE

Known as Panta Bhaat in Bengal, this fermented rice, popular throughout the Eastern region of India, is rich in micronutrients and helps keep the body cool during the hot and humid summer months. It is eaten with a variety of sides, and is most popular in rural regions. This dish is also eaten widely across Bangladesh, especially during Poila Boisakh or New Year, and their choice of sides usually differ from those hailing from West Bengal. We enjoy ours with some Mustard oil, Raw onions, Chilies, Aloo Bharta, Raw Posto or poppy-seed paste and some Onion bhajiyas.

Ingredients Serving: 4

Cooked rice - 2 cups, short-grain preferably, if not, use any rice.
Mustard Oil - 1/2 cup
Potato or Aloo Bharta/Makha - mashed boiled potatoes, fried red chilies and garlic.
Posto baata/Raw Poppy-seed paste - 2 tbsp/50 gm poppy seeds, soaked and ground, with salt, topped with chopped onion and chilies
Peyanji/Onion fritters/Bhajiya - 2 sliced onions, 1/2 cup besan, 1 tsp kalonji, few green chilies
Coarsely chopped raw onions
Green Chilies
2 or 3 burnt red chilies
Salt to taste
A few wedges of lime
Water - 3 to 4 cups

Instructions

In a large vessel, soak the cooked and cooled rice with water until the water rises about 2 inches higher than the rice.
Place this in a cool and dark spot, with a perforated lid, a muslin cloth or butter paper on top, for 8 hours or overnight.
Next morning, serve the fermented rice with a large drizzle of mustard oil, green chilies, onion and lemon wedges.
Enjoy Panta Bhaat with Aloo bharta or Aloo bhaja/fry, Onion pakoda/bhajiyas/Peyanji, Posto baata/Poppy-seed paste,

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