Bengali style ghugni and a nutritious nostalgia

Yesterday being Sunday was the day when I was supposed to wrap up my pending job from the week. In spite all  my effort to extend the sleep time, I woke up at seven in the morning. Life is so strange -

on working days I struggle to wake up in the morning but on holidays my eyes are wide open at the wee hours of dawn!

So, I woke up around five in the morning, lazed on the bed till seven and when I finally found myself sipping the first tea of the day it was already eight. It was around this time my mother found out that 'mashi', our cook, would not be able to come since she has to attend a mourning in the family. Such days are a gift! When she is on leave, mom is at her best delivering some extra ordinary moments with some lovely, delicious food. So, I was quite elated but on the second thought I decided to take up the cudgel in my own hand and proudly declared that I would cook myself.

We decided on a simple Bengali platter - teto dal (lentil with bitter gourd), kochur loti (a typical bengali vegetable), mach bhaja (fish fry), mutton curry and ghugni. Today, I will only talk about ghugni though. Ghugni is a delicious, easy to prepare, nutritious food made from white peas or matar seasoned with some enigmatic Indian spices. It's nutritious, filling, cheap and is extremely popular with the students and the office goers.

For me ghugni is more than just a food. It's a nostalgia! One of the fond remembrances was the times when we were served yellow matar ghugni, with chopped onions and fresh lime juice, in a friend's house. After a sprightly play session when our hunger pangs used to be at the top, we found ourselves delving in it like we had not eaten for days. This is not an exaggeration of any sort. We did not miss any opportunity to visit that friend in anticipation of having to eat it. On retrospect, it was more of a camaraderie than real likeness for the food. This is probably because it was not cherished in our home as much. We were always eating either poha or bread or parantha. It was much later, when we were all grown up and had developed our own tastes, that we started to like it. Meanwhile my mother also whetted her culinary skills and mastered her own recipe of ghugni.

Ghugni was extremely popular back then. The easy availability of the not so expensive ingredients had made it a household favourite. What is more interesting - it used to attain a ritualistic significance during the Bijoya Dashami day when we were suitably contained in the food. After the idol immersion of Durga, there used to be a surge in eating ghugni. As a part of Bengal's most revered ritual we visited the elders and touched their feet. They, in turn, would bless us with all their heart and give us money as a token of love. And then the most exciting part - they would serve us with bountiful nimki, nakel naru (coconut laddu) and ghugni! Although, most of us no longer engage in such sweet little things nowadays but remember those beautiful moments with much fondness. Now coming to the recipe:

What you will need for ghugni

White peas (matar)Ginger (chopped)

Garlic (chopped)

Onion (cut into cubes)

Green chili (chopped)

Tamarind pulp

Coriander leaves (chopped)

Potato (cut into half inches cubes) (optional)

Tomatoes (chopped) (optional)

Coconut slices (optional)

Turmeric powder

For ground spices (masala)

Cumin seeds whole
Coriander seeds whole

Dry red chili whole

Bay leaves

Garam masala powder (optional)

Soak the white peas over night or at least 5-6 hours. You may add a pinch of baking soda to help the peas swell nicely. In a pressure cooker add the soaked peas, the potato cubes, cut onion, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder and salt. Add double the water of the matar. Close the lid and wait for one whistle and keep it aside till the pressure releases.

In a wok put mustard oil. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves and allow it to sizzle. Pour the seasoning into the pressure cooker. Cook for 7-8 minutes more. The consistency should not be very thick or too loose.

Meanwhile heat the cumin, coriander seeds and the whole red chilies. Grind them nicely and store in an air tight container to retain as much flavour as you can. (You may add garam masala powder as well.)

Sprinkle 1 tea spoon of ground masala and 1 teaspoon of tamarind pulp in the ghugni, bring to boil and close the lid. Here, you can add garam masala powder.

Serve this delicious ghugni with some finely chopped onion and coriander leaves. Sprinkle a dash of masala and tamarind pulp on the top and enjoy it guilt free. I eat it with bread toast with generous spread of butter (The Big Fat Surprise) on it or just simple hand made roti (phulka). This is mostly the case, when I am very hungry and want to eat some sumptuous comfort food. It definitely suits my needs, fills my tummy and calms me down in times of cranky hungry moments. Some other times, you will find me eating it outside, with friends, along with some nicely done aloo tikka. So, do look out when you come across a ghugni stall in front of Vardaan Market in Camac street in Kolkata. Trust me, that place sells the most amazing ghugni in the city.

Thank you for visiting. Do try and let me know and also, share your own recipe.

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