A curry made with dried yellow peas- "Ghugni"(A famous street food of Kolkata, Assam, and Odisha)| Food tutorial of Ghugni for steemians

Dear friends,

Welcome back to my page. How are you all? I hope you all started planning for your weekend.

As the weekend is knocking on our doors,

so I thought of sharing a delicacy that is not only popular in West Bengal but also famous in Assam and Odisha.

In my school days, I often loved to have this street food; it would be wrong, if I would it was me only! But we had a gang of friends, and all of us often purchased Ghugni while coming back home from school.

Still, in Kolkata, people love to purchase this street food and have it with bread generally in their breakfast.

Apart from that, several mothers also give this delicacy as a tiffin to their children.

So, I would not take much of your time, and let's start sharing the process of making "Ghugni."

Ingredients:-

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• Dried yellow peas:- 150gm.
• Tomato:-1medium(roughly chopped).
• Tamarind pulp:- 1tbsp.
• Onion:-1medium(roughly chopped).

• Garlic(cloves):-7-8or more(depending on the size).

• Readymade chole masala:- 2tsp.

• Mustard oil:- 2tbsp(or can use refined oil).
• Salt:- To taste.
• Turmeric powder:- 1tsp.
• Sugar- 1 tsp(optional).
• Bay leaves- 1 or 2nos.
• Dried red chilies:- 1 or 2 nos.
• Onion:-1 medium(finely chopped).

For decoration or toppings:-

• Chopped onion.
• Grated coconut.
• Cilantro leaves(chopped).
• Tamarind water.
• Chopped green chilies.

You can use all of them to embellish your delicacy, else could add them as per your choice.

Preparation Method:-

(Soaked peas)

• Step1:- One day before night, soak dried yellow peas in a bowl with adequate water. Let them soak overnight.

• Step2:- Next day, you can see that the size of the peas will became doubled;
  Now, take out soaked peas from the water and transfer them to a pressure cooker.

• Step3:- Next, add 250ml. water into the pressure cooker. The best idea is to check the measurement of water deep in your middle finger and keep it above the peas;
  if the water level connects to the first crease of your finger, then the measure of your water is perfect.

• Step4:- Place the cooker on medium flame and add some salt to it. Close the lid and wait until two whistles, then switch off the flame and keep the pressure intact. If the dried peas are good in quality;
  then two whistles are sufficient.

• Step5:- Once the pressure is released automatically, open the lid of the pressure cooker.
  After that, with the help of a strainer;
  strain out water from boiled yellow peas.

But do not discard them and keep them separate in another bowl.

• Step6:- Take a grinder jar and add roughly chopped onion, roughly chopped tomato, and garlic cloves(do not add water). Make a fine paste and set it aside.

• Step7:- Now place a wide mouth vessel on medium flame. Then add oil once the oil becomes sufficient hot;
  add bay leaves, dried red chilies, and finely chopped onions.

• Step8:- Saute for a few minutes until onions turn light golden. Then add the paste made with tomato, onion, and garlic. Cook until raw aroma evaporates.

• Step9:- Next, add chole masala(it included all the spices needed for the recipe) and boiled peas, salt, turmeric powder, sugar, and tamarind pulp one after another.

• Step10:- Now cook until oil comes out from the sides of the vessel; now add the water kept separate. Here I would like to share that if the peas are already boiled ten add less water;
  but if it needs to be boiled then add more water.

• Step11:- Cover the vessel with a lid and cook until the peas are cooked properly(easily mashed with a spoon). Check the quantity of spice if required at this stage.

(Ghugni is ready to serve)

• Step12:- After ten to fifteen minutes, turn off the flame and open the lid. Now the Ghugni is ready to serve with the toppings of your choice.

I hope you like the recipe. Thank you for your visit, support and comment. Please keep continuing the same. Stay blessed, healthy, and happy.