Bengali Ghugni

Get ready: Soak the dried white peas in 800 ml water for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse them well. Finely chop the onions, tomatoes and coriander leaves, slit the green chillies, grate the ginger, crush the garlic and break the dry red chilli.

Dried White PeasMustard OilWater

Add the soaked peas, 500 ml water, turmeric and salt to a pressure cooker. Pressure cook on medium flame for 4 whistles, about 12 to 15 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes until the pin drops; the peas should be soft and easy to press.

WaterTurmeric PowderSalt

Heat the oil in a kadai on medium flame for 1 minute until hot. Add the cumin, bay leaf, cinnamon and dry red chilli. Fry for 1 minute until the cumin crackles.

CuminBay LeavesCinnamonDry Red Chilli

Add the onion, green chilli, ginger and garlic. Fry on medium flame for 5 to 6 minutes until the onion turns light golden and the raw smell of ginger and garlic goes.

OnionGreen ChilliGingerGarlic

Add the tomato, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Cook on medium flame for 5 to 6 minutes until the tomato becomes soft and the oil shows at the sides.

TomatoTurmeric PowderRed Chilli PowderCoriander PowderCumin PowderSalt

Add the cooked peas with their water, 150 ml more water and the sugar. Mix well and simmer on low flame for 8 to 10 minutes until the gravy thickens and coats the peas.

WaterSugar

Mash a few peas with the back of a ladle to thicken the gravy. Switch off the flame and mix in the coriander leaves and lemon juice. Serve hot.

Coriander LeavesLemon Juice