Pui Shak Diye Bhaja Muger Dal (Moong Dal cooked with Malabar Spinach - Bong style)

 

           This is a traditional Bengali delicacy of roasted Moong Dal which is commonly prepared in almost every Bengali household. It is sometimes combined with any veggie or greens for a wholesome and nutritious meal. 

         Here in this recipe I combined it with Pui Shak (Malabar Spinach) to prepare this lentil curry. I tempered with dry red chilies, bay leaves, cumin seeds and radhuni (wild celery seeds). This gives this dal a very good flavor. It is relished with hot steamed rice or chapattis. You can adjust the quantity of water as preferred. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this healthy dish.

• 1/3 cup moong dal (split green gram), dry roasted and soaked for an hour
• 2 bunches Pui shak (Malabar spinach), chopped 
• tender twigs, cut into 2" pieces
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. radhuni (wild celery seeds)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder to garnish

          Boil the dal and the tender twigs of the Pui shak in 1 cup water for 4-5 whistles. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves, cumin seeds and radhuni. Sauté for a few seconds.

         Add the onion and sauté till light brown. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Now add the chopped Pui shak and 1/4 cup water. Mix well and cook, covered till it turns soft.

         Add the boiled dal, 1/2 cup water and green chilies. Simmer for 4-5 minutes. 

         when done, add ghee and the dry roasted cumin powder. Give it a stir and serve hot with steamed rice or chapattis.

Boil the dal & the tender twigs of the Pui shak in 1 cup water for 4-5 whistles. 

Heat oil in a pan & temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves, cumin seeds & radhuni. Sauté for a few seconds.

                     Add the onion & sauté till light brown. 

Then add the ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates.

                       Now add the chopped Pui shak 

               and 1/4 cup water. Mix well & cook, covered till it turns soft.

                         Add the boiled dal 

                 1/2 cup water & green chilies. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.

                   When done, add ghee & the dry roasted cumin powder. 

                Give it a stir & serve hot with steamed rice or chapattis.