Panta Bhaat

(Bangali fermented rice)

By Noor Shams

Serves 2

Panta bhaat is a dish of soaked, fermented rice eaten across Bangladesh, West Bengal and several regions of northeast India where it is known by other names. Across Bengal, it is traditionally eaten with onions, green chillies and lime, often accompanied by fried fish and mashed vegetables known as bhortas.

Making panta bhaat doesn’t require much of a recipe. You need only two ingredients, rice and water, and the instructions simply involve mixing the two and leaving the dish out overnight. Despite these basic ingredients and instructions, however, it can sometimes be tricky because the fermentation process can vary based on the type of rice grain used, temperature in the room and humidity levels.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked rice, cooled to room temperature
3 cups water

For serving
Salt, to taste
2–6 green chillies
1 shallot, cut in half (or half a small red onion sliced into wedges)
2 lime wedges (optional)

Instructions

1. Place the rice in a bowl and spread it out evenly.
2. Pour water over the rice and mix it up gently with your hands or a spoon to break up any clumps of rice. The water level should be above the rice, by approximately a centimeter or just under half an inch.
3. Cover the bowl with a plate or wrap securely with plastic wrap, and cover with a clean, large kitchen towel.
4. Place the bowl in a shaded place for 8–12 hours or let it sit overnight on your kitchen counter to allow fermentation. At the end of the process, you should see that the water in the bowl has gone from being clear to a murky white color — this is when the panta bhaat is ready.
5. Mix salt (to taste) into to the finished dish and serve it in shallow bowls or deep plates along with some or all of the water. Garnish each bowl/plate with green chillies, shallot or onions and lime wedges, if using.
6. Serve the panta bhaat with fried hilsa fish or bhortas, or enjoy on its own with the chillies, onions and lime.

Notes

• For best results, use leftover parboiled white rice (as opposed to regular white rice) and preferably a simple short-grained rice for this dish. Try not to use basmati, kalijeera or other fragrant and expensive rice varieties for this dish.
• Make sure to place the panta bhaat is covered at all times and is placed in a secure area in order to avoid contamination while it is fermenting.
• In colder weather, it may take longer for panta bhaat to ferment properly.
• After fermentation, panta bhaat will have a very slightly sweet-sour taste and can have a slightly pungent smell, but it should not smell rancid and should not taste too sour.

Noor Shams (about):

Noor Shams is based in New York and shares her culinary magic on Instagram at @Noorieboorie. She also co-runs Cue-rated, a platform promoting south Asian arts, culture and entrepreneurship.

Find her at:
Instagram: @Noorieboorie
Website: www.cue-rated.com