Sneha's Recipe: Vatana

Ghugni/ Dried White Vatana/ White Peas Curry is an evening snack/ street food, which is popular in Eastern India, North India wherein dried white peas are cooked with gravy in the traditional Indian style. We had this for our lunch with Dhuska which is a classic combo.

Serves: 3 - 4
Ingredients
1 Cup Dried White Vatana/Peas
3 Baby Potatoes - diced
1 Large Onion - finely chopped
2 Medium Tomatoes - finely chopped
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
2 Teaspoons Cumin powder
2 Teaspoons Level Red Chilly powder
½ Teaspoon Garam masala
3 Cloves Garlic - minced

½" Piece Ginger - minced
3 Tablespoons Oil
Salt to taste

2 Tablespoons chopped Coriander leaves

2 Green Chillies - slit & de seeded
Lemon Slices for garnish
Method

Wash and soak the dried vatana/peas overnight. Next morning, drain the soaking water and wash it in fresh water. Pour this into a pressure pan add ½ teaspoon Himalayan salt, water above an inch of the vatana. Cover and cook on high flame for one whistle, reduce the flame to low and keep it for 10 -12 minutes. Switch off the flame and let the cooker cool. Open this and check if the vatana is cooked or else keep it for a minute or two more. I cooked it for exactly 12 minutes and they were perfectly done. Remove this into a bowl.

Heat the oil in the same pressure pan. Add the minced ginger-garlic , fry till it starts to turn brown

add the onions and cook till they turn translucent. Add the diced tomatoes

cook till they are mushy and oil separates.

Now, add the turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chilly powder, garam masala, mix well.

Add the potatoes and fry till the masala coats the potatoes.

Now add the cooked peas along with the stock, mix lightly. Add little of the coriander leaves and about a quarter to half cup of water (or according to the consistency required). Bring this to a rolling boil, cover with the lid and take one whistle on high flame, reduce the flame and let it cook for 2 -3 minutes. Switch off the flame and let the cooker steam settle down.

Open the cooker and check the gravy consistency, if it is too watery then let it simmer open till it thicken and oil starts to surface. Now add the slit green chillies and let is simmer for a minute. The consistency of the ghugni is neither too thin nor too thick. Switch off the flame, squeeze half an lemon juice and mix well.

Garnish with sliced tomatoes, coriander leaves and lemon slices.

Enjoy with Dhuska, this is a classic combo.

Ghugni can be enjoyed as a chaat or as a curry with any Indian bread too.

Labels : Chaat, Dried, Gluten free, Main course, North Indian, Peas, Snack, Vatana, Vegan, Street food, Gluten free, Multicooker Monday
Multicooker Monday July 2020: Recipes using Small Kitchen Appliances