Ghughni

Preparation time- 10 min

Cooking Time – 30 min

Ingredients –

Dried peas – 1 cup , soaked for 8 hrs or overnight

Mustard oil-  2 tbsp

Tejpatta/ bay leaf- 1

Green cardamom – 2

Sugar- ½ tsp

Onion- 3 midsize/ 2 large

Garlic- 1 pod

Ginger- 2 inch

Coriander powder- 1 tsp

Fresh Turmeric  paste- ¼  tsp / turmeric powder ½ tsp

Red chili powder- ½ - 1 tsp

Garam masala- ½ tsp, made from cinnamon+ cloves+ green cardamom+ jeera/cumin roasted and powdered

Coriander leaves – to garnish

Salt- to taste

Green chili- 2

Potatoes- 4 cut into half

Tomato- 1

Water- 500 ml

Method-

Chop 1 onion finely; make paste of ginger, garlic and rest of the onion. Peel and cut the potatoes in half, cut the tomato and keep aside. Heat mustard oil in pressure cooker; add tejpatta/bay leaf, then sugar, then green cardamom and then green chili with slit in centre.

Add chopped onions and sauté on medium flame. Meanwhile wash the soaked peas thoroughly and add to the cooker once the onions have caramelized. Continue stirring on medium to low flame till peas and onions look slightly brown and oil has separated. Add potatoes and continue stirring for 3-4 minutes. Add the ginger garlic onion paste and continue stirring for 2-3 minutes on medium to low flame. Add tomato , stir for 2 minutes, add turmeric, coriander powder, red chili powder and mix it thoroughly. At this stage add 1 tsp water to the cooker. Stir continuously so as to allow the water to provide enough moisture for the peas and the masala to get incorporated and fried. Repeat this 2 times within 5 minutes and then add salt, jeera powder and continue stirring with slight addition of water till tomatoes are completely mashed and the dry powder and paste look completely incorporated. Add 2 ½ cup water, stir and then add garam masala and ½ tsp mustard oil on the top, do not mix. Scatter some coriander leaves and close the lid. 4-5 whistles and then on low flame for 3 -4 minutes. It’s done. Garnish with chopped onions, ginger strips and coriander leaves. In a Bengali house it is usually savored with Muri / puffed rice

Here I have served it with coriander leaves chutney which has coriander leaves, garlic, green chili and tomato.