Panta Bhat

Ingredients

• 400 g cooked rice
• 500 ml water
• 200 g dried hilshaSubstitute: dried fish
• 2 medium onion
• 4 pieces green chilies
• 3 tbsp mustard oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 piece lemon

Instructions

1. 1

   Place leftover cooked rice in a bowl and cover with water. Leave overnight at room temperature to ferment slightly.

2. 2

   The next day, the rice will be soft, tangy, and slightly effervescent.

3. 3

   Fry dried hilsha pieces in mustard oil until crispy and golden.

4. 4

   Slice onion into rings and slit green chilies.

5. 5

   Drain some water from the rice, keeping it moist but not soupy.

6. 6

   Serve the fermented rice with fried hilsha, sliced onion, green chili, a drizzle of mustard oil, and a squeeze of lemon.

7. 7

   This is traditionally eaten on the Bengali New Year (Pohela Boishakh).