Let me ask a serious question about Nepalese food. Most of us have grown up in households where left over rice has either been used to be served with hot milk or Bhuteko bhat with onions and local butter with a touch of turmeric. My take on Jogi Bhat is simple. I have replaced our bhuteko bhat with fried rice, biryani and many mores. If you were born in a typical Nepali household like me, you will be well aware of the term �Bhate�, an excessive rice eater. I wonder if my genes got smashed due to heavy indulgence in rice. In my family, Jogi Bhat was a popular dish specially made by my Grandfather which was passed on to him by his father. The reason why I have a close relation to Jogi Bhat is simply to bring back those nostalgic memories. I recall when my grandfather added saag (leafy greens), peas and fresh produce mixed them with rice, turmeric, a few spices and of course some pure ghee. It was something we all savored being by the wooden fireplace within the house. There, he shared stories of mythical creatures and scare us out of our wits. My version of Jogi Bhat was to replicate what my father did to his fine dining restaurant in Hong Kong in 1994 and which has still been the best version of it so far in decades. Jogi Bhat is a dynamic dish for simple reasons as it has no boundaries. If someone asked me what my favorite dish is? I would say Thukpa (Tibetan noodle soup). The reason is simple because it is liquid and you can add or top it with anything you want. It has limitless potential the same as using rice or potato for your dish. It does not have a strong overpowering taste and can blend in any form. Jogi, which means ecstatic, stands for living a simple life of no attachments but being dependent on the ingredients given by the givers with pity and love after going door to door. So, basically these ecstatic end up with a mix and match of ingredients. Lentils, vegetables, rice were all a common sight. They mix all these together to form a porridge and fill their stomachs. Every food has a story to be told and this may be the basics of how a certain leftover food has made it as a gourmet dish around the world. The Italians have Minestrone soup which is also created by leftover vegetables, pasta and sauce. Same with the chop suey created in mining towns in states where miners would end up the place but has nothing much to serve. The owners would serve the noodles crispy and add left over vegetable and with a quick sauce made from soya and corn flour. Jogi Bhat has always held a special place in my heart. It is a simple recipe which has heart and compassion of family members. They devoted their time to ensure that their kids enjoy the left over rice. There is no fuss and no hard and fast rule. However in the gourmet scene I may have to replicate the clay pot for the authenticity and add ingredients such as the shitake mushroom, snow peas, baby spinach and corn. However this is just a metaphor for remembering our grandparents or ancestors or digging the old food that one puts their heart and soul into it until it becomes a delicacy that you will savor forever. Just before you end reading this article, remember that caramelized onion prepared in �Khareko ko Ghee� or clarified homemade butter and that crunchiness of the rice at the bottom of the cooker.  

Recipe for Jogi Bhat

Prep Time: 30 min Cooking Time:-10 min Recipe: good for 2 Ingredients 1 cup� � � � � � �Any Mushroom (Preferably Shitake Mushroom) 2 bowls� � � � � Left Over Rice (Best is with left over rice) � cup� � � � � � Sliced Onion 2 tsp� � � � � � � Clarified Local Butter (Alternatively, use Olive Oil for Vegan Recipe) 2 tbsp� � � � � � Cooking Oil � cup� � � � � � Snow Peas 2 bowls� � � � � Spinach 1 cup� � � � � � �Onion 1 tsp� � � � � � �Ginger And Garlic � tsp� � � � � � Turmeric Powder 1 tsp� � � � � � � Cumin Powder 1 tsp� � � � � � � Coriander Powder 1 tbsp� � � � � � Coriander Leaves To Garnish To Taste� � � � � Salt and pepper Method

• First, heat the pan and add the butter in a low flame and let it melt
• Then add ginger and garlic and stir it for a minute
• Add oil and let it heat for 2 minutes and then add chopped onions
• Then let it sweat in a low heat
• Once it�s ready, add snow peas, mushroom and stir it well
• Once it�s soft and water is released then add the spinach
• Stir it for 2 minutes
• Then add the rest of the spices and throw the rice
• Then give a quick toss and mix it well, bottom to up, so the ingredients are equally distributed
• Serve it warm with a sprinkle of spring onions and coriander.