Ghugni in Spicy South Indian Flavour

 

           Ghugni is a very popular and a common breakfast menu in most Bengali household. Made of soaked dried white peas, it is typically relished with hot poori, especially on weekends. It is also enjoyed as an evening tea-time snack and is a street food, served in a chaat form in many parts of Eastern India. 

          However, I gave a twist to this classic Ghugni, by adding some sambar powder for a spicy South Indian flavour. It turned out just amazing. Another great option is to carry this quintessential dish on picnics or during train journeys. So dish out this colourful stir fry in a new avatar and enjoy. 

• 1 cup dried white peas, soaked overnight
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tsp. garlic, grated
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 2-3 tsp. sambar powder
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the soaked dry peas in enough water for 4-5 whistles or till soft. Drain and keep aside. (the stock can be used later).

          Heat oil in a pan / wok and temper with dry red chili, mustard seeds and asafoetida. After it stops spluttering, add the onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté till light brown. 

          Add the drained peas, 1/4 cup stock and all the dry spices. Mix everything well and cook for 2 minutes. 

          When done, switch off the flame and add the lime juice. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve as a snack with sliced onion, green chilies and a dash of lime. 

          It can also be relished as a side dish with poori, chapatti or paratha. 

  Pressure cook the soaked dry peas in enough water for 4-5 whistles or 

till soft. Drain & keep aside. (the stock can be used later).

                          Heat oil & temper with dry red chili, mustard seeds & asafoetida. 

                      Add the onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies & curry leaves. Sauté till 

                      light brown. 

                       Add drained peas, 1/4 cup stock & all dry spices. Cook for 2 minutes. 

                                  When done, switch off the flame and add the lime juice. 

                                  Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

                           Serve as a snack with sliced onion, green chilies & a dash of lime. 

Chicken Peas Curry

          This combination of Peas with Chicken into a curry form is simply yummy. I made use of dried white peas to make this delicious gravy. So go ahead and give it a try. Very easy and an awesome preparation, it can be enjoyed with any form of rice or Indian bread, including dosa, appam, idiyappam, etc.

• 400 gms. chicken curry cut
• 1/2 cup dried white peas, soaked overnight
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), crushed
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves to garnish

          Pressure cook the soaked white peas in 1 1/2 cups water for 5 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle or till it is soft. Keep aside. 

          Make a paste of the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste and all the dry spices with some water. Keep aside.

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil and saute the chicken till light brown. Drain and keep aside. Heat the remaining oil and temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds.

          Saute for a few seconds and then add the onion. Fry till it turns light brown. Add the spice paste and saute till the oil separates.

          Now add the tomatoes and fry till it is mashed. Add the fried chicken and 1 cup water or as needed. Cover and simmer till it is cooked and the chicken is tender.

          Add the boiled peas and simmer further for 2-3 minutes. Adjust water accordingly. When done, switch off the flame and add the ghee and kasuri methi. 

           Mix well and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve as a side dish with plain steamed rice, jeera rice, plain biryani, pulao, naan, kulcha, tandoori roti, paratha or just plain chapatti. It can also be relished with dosa, uttapam, appam or idiyappam.

Ragda Samosa Chaat - Savoury Street Snack

          Chaats are of different types and forms and happens to be one of my favourite snack. They are yummy, light on the stomach and extremely tongue tingling. The ingredients can be mixed and matched to dish out this delicacy. Today I would like to share a delicious RAGDA SAMOSA CHAAT, where the Ragda is a white peas curry. 

          To this, some crumbled samosa is added, topped with some spicy, sweet and tangy chutneys, onion, tomato, sev, some dry spices and coriander leaves. They are relished as a tea-time snack, as a light dinner or anytime of the day. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Ragda....

• 1 cup dry Yellow / White Peas, soaked overnight
• pinch of baking soda
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste (opt)
• 1 tomato, pureed
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

Chaat.......

• 2-3 samosa, roughly crumbled
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1-2 fresh red / green chilies, chopped
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 2-3 tbsp. mixture farsan
• 2-3 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1/2 cup sev (fried gram flour noodles)
• sweet tamarind chutney as required
• mint-coriander chutney as required
• beaten yogurt as required
• salt to taste
• red chili powder to taste
• chaat masala to taste
• roasted cumin powder to taste 
• lime juice as required
• chopped coriander leaves as required

         Ragda ......Boil the soaked peas in 2 1/2 cups water, turmeric powder and a pinch of baking soda for 2-3 whistles.

          Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion till light brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices (except salt) mixed with little water. Fry on low flame till oil separates.

         Add the tomato puree and tomato paste. Continue to fry till dry. Add the boiled peas, salt and 3/4 cup water if required. 

           Cover and simmer till the gravy thickens. Add the coriander leaves and mix well. Keep aside.



To assemble the chaat......

          For serving, pour a cupful of the prepared ragda in individual bowls. Then arrange the samosa first.

          Top it up with the onion, tomato and chilies, followed by the tamarind chutney, green chutney and yoghurt.

          Next add all the dry spices, followed by some sev, peanuts, fresh coconut, farsan, chopped coriander and lime juice. Relish as an evening tea-time snack or as and when desired.

                                  Ingredients needed for the chaat.

                                 Ingredients needed for the chaat.

                                  For serving, pour a cupful of ragda in individual bowls. 

                                  Then arrange samosa first. 

                                 Top it up with onion, tomato & chilies.

                                 followed by tamarind chutney, green chutney & yoghurt. 

                 Add all dry spices, followed by some sev, peanuts, coconut, farsan, lime juice
                 & coriander leaves. Relish as a tea-time snack or as & when desired.

Steamed Lentil & White Peas Upma

          This is a very delicious, simple and a healthy steamed snack that can be had as breakfast, tea-time snack or as a light dinner. It can also be a great lunch box meal or an-after school snack. The dried white peas can be replaced with dried green peas or fresh peas, Enjoy it with some coconut or green chutney.

• 1/2 cup chana dal (Bengal gram)
• 2 tbsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 2 tbsp. poha (Flattened rice), I have used brown poha
• 1 cup dried white peas, boiled
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1-2 green chili, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. eno fruit salt
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• pinch of pepper powder
• pinch of roasted cumin powder
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 whole dry red chili
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1 green chili, slit
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• dash of lime juice

            Soak the chana dal and urad dal overnight. Soak the poha for 10 minutes. Grind all the soaked items with required quantity of water into a batter like consistency.

          To it add salt, turmeric powder, ginger, chilies, asafoetida, chili flakes, cumin powder, pepper powder and 1 tbsp. oil. 

          Mix everything well. Just before steaming add the eno fruit salt and give it a stir. Transfer to a greased steel container and steam for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

          Now crumble the prepared lentil and mix with the boiled peas. Heat oil and temper with the red chili and mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter.

          Add the urad dal, green chili, asafoetida and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the onions. Sauté till light brown and add the steamed lentil-boiled peas.

          Toss well and switch off the flame. Add the lime juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with coconut chutney for an evening tea-time snack or for breakfast.

          

Bhindi Matar (Okra-White Peas) Stir Fry

          This is just a simple stir fry recipe prepared with okra & dried white peas. They are an excellent side dish with any form of rice or chapattis. The tempering is of some aromatic panch phoron and the usual dry spices. Nothing fancy, but taste is yummy. So go ahead and prepare this amazing stir fry dish if you are looking for something easy and quick.

• 400 gms. bhindi (okra), chopped
• 1/2 cup boiled dried white peas
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, fenugreek, cumin, mustard & nigella seeds)
• 1/2 tsp. asafoetida
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1" ginger, finely chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1-2 fresh green / red chilies, chopped
• 1/4 cup coriander roots, chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1-2 fresh red chilies, chopped 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with panch phoron. After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida, followed by the bhindi. Fry for 2 minutes on a high flame.

          Now add the onion, ginger, garlic, chilies, salt, coriander roots, turmeric powder, cumin & coriander powder. Mix everything well. 

          Cover and cook on a low flame by stirring at intervals. When done, add the boiled matar and toss well. 

          Switch off the flame and keep it covered for 5 minutes. Garnish with chilies and fresh grated coconut. Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

Mangsher Ghugni (Dried Peas Curry with Mutton - Bengali Style)

           Ghugni or Dried Yellow Peas Curry is a very common weekend breakfast menu in most of the Bengali homes and a great favourite too. They are relished with hot luchi (poori), parathas or chapattis, and are generally accompanied with some chopped onion, green chilies and lime wedges.

          Today I made a non-veg. version of it by adding some boiled mutton cubes. This is an awesome side dish best enjoyed for a lazy weekend breakfast. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup dried peas, soaked in water overnight
• 250 gms. mutton with bones, cubed
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp. ghee
• chopped coriander leaves & chopped onion to garnish

          Pressure cook the drained peas in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 10 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. Keep aside.

          Pressure cook the mutton too in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 20 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. Saute for a few seconds and add the onion. Fry till light brown.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spies mixed with 1/4 cup water. Fry till the oil separates and then add the tomatoes. Cook till it is mashed.

          Add the boiled peas and mutton. Cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Adjust water according to the gravy desired.

          When done, add ghee and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and chopped onion. Serve with poori, paratha, rice or any Indian bread.

                   

                     Heat oil & temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & 
                     cumin seeds. Saute for a few seconds.

                                Add onion & fry till light brown.

                    Add ginger-garlic paste & all dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup water. Fry
                     till oil separates. 

                                  Add tomatoes. Cook till it is mashed.

                    Add boiled peas & mutton. Cover & simmer for 4-5 min. Adjust water 
                    accordingly.

                      When done, add ghee & garnish with coriander leaves & chopped onion. 

                                   Serve with poori, paratha, rice or any Indian bread.