Bhaja Moong-er Dal

We bongs like our food simple & the rich kalia's & koftas are diets that we follow only for the special occasion. Bengali everyday cooking is essentially simple and the humble Bhaja Moong-er Dal is one of those everyday go to dishes . This is my grandmother's recipe and most un-equivocally , it tops the legacy of the best dishes that she made . As i write this , i also realize , is it not strange , how beautifully food marries our memories to that of a person.

Thamma passed on a heap of these exquisite recipes to us & the beauty of these recipes and tastes is that , they were not written in any fancy family style heirloom book , but remains deeply imbibed in all our senses . Happy to share this one with you....

A simple dal & probably , a most befitting soul food !

Things you will need

• 100 g moong dal (if you have sona moong - even better )

• 1 cup water

• 02 tbsp mustard oil

• 1 piece bay leaf (whole)

• 1 tsp Paanch Phoran ( Mix of 5 whole masalas - ie. fennel , mustard , fenugreek , jeera , nigella seeds )

• 2 pieces green chillies (slit)

• 25 g carrots (Cut into bite size chunks )

• 25 g cauliflower (Cut into bite size chunks )

• 15 g peas (shelled)

• 01 tsp salt

• 01 tsp sugar

• ¼ tsp turmeric powder

• 01 inch ginger - finely chopped

• 5 g ghee

Steps 1. Dry-roast the dal, stirring continuously, till it changes color from yellow to a blush pink. Here, it is important to keep stirring the grain to ensure that all surfaces get roasted evenly. Wait till a nutty aroma fills your kitchen space - then rinse the dal thoroughly in water . Add 550 g water to the washed dal and boil it . If using a pressure cooker - 02 whistles is good . 2. In another pan , add the mustard oil and smoke the oil . Once done , temper the oil with the green chilli , paanch phoran mix & bay leaf . 3. Add the seasonal vegetables and fry for 5 mins . 4. Pour in the roasted, boiled dal with its water into the pan . 5. Add the salt, sugar and turmeric powder & stir everything in. Allow the dal to bubble for about 6 minutes on low heat.

6. Now turn off the heat and add the chopped ginger & garnish with ghee - cover the pan with a lid and allow the dal to soak up the flavors , before serving hot.