Green gram curry/ whole mung or lentils gravy / Kaalu Kurma

This side dish is a great combination to poori & chapathi and nutritionally very rich too. Though I mentioned as green gram, you need not stick to this lentil. Instead you can make it with any other lentil like chickpeas, whole pigeon peas, black eyed peas/ lobia or combination of 2 or more. You can also add choice of vegetables in it to add the goodness of vegetables too.

Basically I learnt it from my sister who often makes it.

Check here for the recipe of Kaalu/ pulses sambhar for rice.

Preparation time: 6 hours

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Pulses of choice (green gram/ lobia/ chickpeas..) – 1 cup

Diced vegetables of choice (potatoes/ carrots/ beans) – ½ cup (optional)

Tomato – 1

Onions – 1 (small)

Garlic – 6 cloves

Coriander leaves – few sprigs (to garnish)

Salt – to tatse

Jaggery – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Dry red chillis (byadagi) – 2, adjust to taste

Coriander seeds – 1 tsp

Oil – 2 tsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Grated coconut – 4 tbsp

Method:

• Wash & soak green gram or the lentils you are using for 6 hours or overnight.
• When it is done, wash again & drain water.
• Wash & cut vegetables, keep them ready.
• Cook lentils/ kaalu, vegetables in a pressure cooker with sufficient water and salt.
• Chop tomatoes roughly, peel and chop onions too.
• Take a frying/ tadka pan, roast coriander seeds & red chillis for a while.
• Take spices, tomatoes, onions, garlics & grated coconut in a mixer jar and grind to smooth paste.
• Now heat a wok/ kadai. Add oil & mustard.
• On spluttering, add ground paste and fry until raw smell goes off.
• Add cooked lentils & vegetables. Add jaggery, turmeric powder.
• Combine, boil well.
• Transfer to the serving bowl garnish with chopped fresh coriander.
• Serve with chapathi/ pooris

Notes:

• Variations can be possible by replacing coriander by urad dal in the masala.
• It can be prepared with or without vegetables.