A Bengali winter delicacy where the humble radish shines, its natural sweetness evident in every morsel; goes well with rice, roti or paratha.
In Bengali language, the term βchechkiβ is used for any vegetable that is grated and stir-fried with minimal seasoning. Itβs a dish in which the vegetable β radish and pumpkin being the more preferred β are allowed to cook slowly in their own juices, thus allowing the natural sweetness of the vegetable to shine through.
Now hereβs some additional information about the word βchechkiβ because I do love trivia
- Chechki is an archaic term for the word ‘grated’
- Chechki is an old word used for the steel ladle, a fixture in Bengali (and Indian households); while the colloquial usage in cities may have reduced, itβs a word oft used in my ancestral village

TIPS TO MAKE THE MULO CHECHKI
- Always, always pick a healthy and big radish simply because, as it cooks, the quantity will reduce.
- Don’t squeeze out the vegetable juices.
- I’d recommend using a kadhai but if you don’t have one, cook it in a pan with a lid.
- Tastes best when paired with piping hot steamed or boiled rice.
- The mulo chechki makes for an excellent paratha stuffing.
- You can replace the radish with raw pumpkin to make kumdo chechki, aka slow cooked pumpkin stir fry.
If winter in your part of the world means a whole lot of fresh, seasonal vegetables, then you must try these recipes – Pumpkin Carrot & Spring-Onion Soup, Green Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Pumpkin & Carrot Pasta, Carrot & Date Rolls, Fenugreek Leaves Omelets.
Do let me know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment and donβt forget to tag me on Instagram at from.the.corner.table and hashtag it #fromthecornertable. Iβd love to see it β€οΈ
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- 400 gram Radish
- Β½ tbsp Yellow moong dal
- 1 tbsp Mustard oil
- ΒΌ tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 medium Dry red chilli
- Β½ tsp Turmeric powder
- Salt (as required)
- Peel and grate radish.
- Add Β½ teaspoon of salt, toss well, cover and set aside.
- In a kadhai or deep pan, heat mustard oil to smoking point.
- Add yellow moong dal and roast till light brown.
- Remove and transfer to a bowl.
- In the same pan, add the mustard seeds and dry red chilli.
- Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the grated radish. DO NOT squeeze out the water.
- Add turmeric powder.
- Add the roasted yellow moong dal.
- Mix well.
- Cover and allow the radish to cook on low heat.
- Stir frequently and continue cooking till the water has dried up but before the radish is very dry.
- Once done to your satisfaction, remove from heat and serve hot with rice and fresh green chillies.
3 Comments
Hi Rapti..your recipe is so simple and I’m sure its really flavorful. Thanks for sharing.
I hope you make it at home and savour it!
Looks delicious.. such a gorgeous winter delight ..
loved it Rapti