Charchari

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A charchari (Bengali: চচ্চড়ি) is a unique char-flavored vegetable dish of Bangladesh and India, found primarily in Bengali cuisine.

To cook a charchari dish, a chaunk is prepared by frying spices such as black mustard seeds and minced ginger root in oil or ghee. Then, chopped vegetables are added and stir-fried briefly. Water, salt, and more spices are added, and the vegetables are allowed to simmer. From this point on the dish is never stirred. When only a small amount of liquid is left in the bottom of the pot, the vegetables steam until tender. Once all the liquid has been absorbed and cooked off, the vegetables begin to fry in the oil or ghee left in the bottom of the pot. Just as the vegetables begin to char, a sizzling sound is heard, and the pot is removed from the heat. After a few minutes, the thin charred crust is stirred gently into the dish.

Typical vegetables used for charchari include potatoes, eggplant, and cauliflower.