Narkel diye Niramish Ghugni | Bengali No Onion No Garlic Ghugni or Yellow Peas Curry with Fried Coconut

Recipe type: Side Dish

Cuisine: Bengali

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  20 mins

Total time:  35 mins

INGREDIENTS

·         Motor / Whole Yellow Peas: 250g (1.5 Cup)

·         Potato: 2

·         Coconut: ½

·         Tomato: 1

·         Green chilies: 2

·         Ginger paste: 2 Tsp.

To temper:

·         Bay leaf: 1

·         Cumin seeds: ½ Tsp.

·         Cinnamon: 1”

·         Cloves: 2 -3

·         Green Cardamom: 1-2

·         Dry Red Chili: 1

·         Asafetida: ¼ Tsp.

Spices:

·         Turmeric Powder: 1 Tsp.

·         Cumin powder: 1 Tsp.+ ½ Tsp.

·         Coriander powder: 1 Tsp.

·         Red chili powder: ½ Tsp.

·         Bengali Garam masala powder: ⅓ Tsp.

·         Sugar: 1 Tsp.

·         Salt: to taste:

·         Mustard Oil: 2+1 Tbsp.

·         Ghee: ½ Tsp. (optional)

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INSTRUCTIONS

1.      Wash and soak Motor or Yellow Peas in water with ½ Tsp. Salt overnight.

2.      Drain the water and wash the peas under running water 2-3 times.

3.      Now take the Yellow Peas along with two times water, ½ Tsp. Salt and ½ Tsp. Turmeric Powder. ⅓ Tsp. each of Red Chili Powder, Cumin Powder and Coriander Powder in a pressure cooker. Keep cooking in medium flame with the weight on for 3 whistles.

4.      Cool down the pressure cooker completely before opening the same.

5.      Separate the broth from the boiled yellow peas for further use

6.      In the meantime, remove the skin of the potatoes and cut into small cubes.

7.      Make a puree of the tomatoes.

8.      Cut Coconut into small strips.

9.      Heat remaining Oil in a pan and fry potatoes until those turn golden brown in color.

10.     Drain the fried Potatoes from the Oil.

11.     Now fry coconut strips in the remaining oil till those turn brown and emits the nutty aroma and after that drain from the oil.

12.     Take Remaining Turmeric Powder, Red Chili Powder, Cumin Powder and Coriander Powder, Sugar and ½ Tsp. of salt in a bowl and mix those with 1 Tbsp. of Mustard Oil and 1 Tbsp. of Water to make a paste.

13.     Add Bay leaf, Cumin seeds, Cinnamon, Cloves, Green Cardamom, dry red chili and Asafetida to temper the oil.

14.     Now add tomato puree and Ginger paste to the oil and cook till oil separates from the mixture.

15.     Now add the Spice paste to the mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes in low flame.

16.     Add Boiled Peas, fried Potatoes and mix thoroughly.

17.     Add the separated broth as per requirement and cook till the Gravy thickens.

18.     Adjust salt and other spices.

19.     Now dry roast ½ Tsp. of Cumin Powder and add that along with Bengali Garam Masala and Ghee to the Ghugni.

20.     Mix fried Coconuts with the Ghugni; a few pieces of fried coconut along with chopped green chilies to be used as a garnish.

21.     Serve Narkel diye Niramish Ghugni hot with Luchi.

NOTES

In case you have less time for soaking, use boiling water in a Casarole to soak the Yellow pieces and cover with the lid for 30 minutes and one or 2 extra whistles during cooking in a pressure cooker with a few ice cubes.
I prefer to opt for 3 whistles to cook the yellow pieces, which makes the peas a bit messy with a few pieces intact. 
Ghee is completely optional though gives an amazing aroma to the Narkel diye Niramish Ghugni and hence should be opted for.