GHUGNI (BENGALI STYLE DRIED YELLOW PEAS CURRY)

Ghugni is a popular street food  in Kolkata  as well as Assam,  Bihar  and Odissa. It is made from dried white peas and cooked up with  spices and Bhaja Masala or roasted masala..it is the main ingredient of ghugni.It is served with the toppings of chopped  onions,green chillies, chopped  coriander  leaves, tamarind water or lemon juice and a pinch of black salt.

Preparation Time - 7-8hrs (including soaking time)
Cooking Time - 15 minutes 
Servings -4


INGREDIENTS  FOR  GHUGNI

Dried Yellow Peas - 2 cups, soaked in water for overnight
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
 Oil - 1/4 cup (preferrably mustard oil )
Bay leaf - 1 large
Onion, chopped - 2 cup
Ginger & Garlic paste - 2 teaspoon
Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
Cumin Powder - 1/2 teasoon
Coriander Powder -1tsp
Tomato, chopped - 1 large
Salt  to taste

INGREDIENTS FOR BHAJA MASALA 

Cumin Seeds-2tsp
Coriander Seeds -2tsp
Dry Red Chilli -4 ( according to your taste )


METHOD OF MAKING BHAJA MASALA OR ROASTED MASALA


Take all the ingredients  of  bhaja masala  or roasted masala on tawa...dry roast them until light brown. .let them be cool...grind and make a fine powder.

Keep 2tsp of this masala aside for topping..and add remaining  masala in cooking.



INGREDIENTS FOR TOPPINGS

Onion chopped-1
Green chilli chopped -2
Lemon Juice-1tsp or Tamarind Water...(soak 1 tsp  tamarind in 1 bowl water for 30 minutes...thain strain it)
Bhaja Masala-1tsp
Black Salt-1/2tsp
Cilantro or Coriander leaves (  chopped)-1/2cup



METHOD 

At first take the overnight soaked "Dried Peas" in a pressure cooker with little water in it(1/2 cup), add salt and pressure cook  upto 1 whistle. Turn off the heat and wait till the pressure is released.Open the cooker lid and keep aside

Take a pan, heat the oil in it. When the oil s hot enough, add bay leaf and  chopped onions,fry until  golden  brown.

Add ginger garlic paste, fry until raw smell of masala paste goes away

Add chopped tomatoe,cumin powder,red chilli  powder,turmeric powder ,coriander powde  and salt (you already added salt while boiling  peas..so be cautious  of the quantity  of  salt). .cook until oil gets separated.Sprinkle some water to the pan to prevent the masala from burning.


Now add the  boiled Dried Peas and toss with the masala mixture. Add 1/2 cup of water to the pan and let the curry boil for 5 minutes, cover  on cook for 5 minutes on low flame.

After 5 minutes of boiling..sprinkle roasted or bhaja masala into the gravy and  give a nice stir. Turn off the heat and let the curry stand for 10 minutes.


HOW TO ADD TOPPINGS  BEFORE SERVING 

Serve  hot your ghugni sprinkle chopped  onions, chillues,coriander  leaves...little bit black salt and roasted or bhaja masala.,lemon juice or tamarind water...