Mooga Gathi

What have I been thinking or rather not thinking. 

Moong and pepper & moong and pepper and one of Goa most delicious sprouts veggie.

 I just do not think these days. What nut I can be!

Anyway I did think of it that is important.

I have already said that Goan’s are a religious lot. In the Hindus there are days when they will not eat fish, onion and garlic. Surprised? Well so was I. They do crib about it but then they follow the rules.

What they have during these days is an explosion of tastes and masalas. One such dish is Mooga Gathi!!

The moong is soaked and sprouted in the usual way but in the evening they are soaked again in water. The next day the sprouts skin peels off and this is used to make Mooga Ghati. Since I do not remove the skins as I believe they are full of fibre and the Gathi tastes good.

Come the month of Shravan this is going to feature quite a bit in Goan homes for not only is moong easy to digest and people do not eat fish, chicken etc.

 Ingredients:

250 grams moong sprouted

1 coconut (medium sized)

½ tsp haldi/turmeric

1 tsp coriander seeds

4-5 red chillies

¼ jaiphal or nutmeg

4 pepper corns

2 cloves

Oil

Mustard

Curry leaves

Hing/asafoetida

Salt

Cashew nuts

1-2 Green chillies

1 tomato chopped fine(optional)

Coriander leaves

Method:

1.    Heat 1 tsp oil and fry the coriander seeds, red chillies, pepper and cloves last add the nutmeg. Add the coconut mix well and switch off the flame. (This is my step not traditionally done). Add the haldi/turmeric. Cool.

2.    Grind the above to a very fine paste. Please note that in Goa all the coconut pastes (except for dhabdhabit) are ground fine, very fine with minimum water. This was done on the grinding stone now it is done in the mixer.

3.    Next heat oil and fry the cashew nuts till light brown. Remove and set aside.In the same oil splutter the mustard, add curry leaves, hing/asafoetida.

4.    Add the moong and stir till the raw smell goes away (about 4-5 minutes) on medium flame.

5.    Add the ground masala and cook till the moong is done. Add the salt.

6.    Towards the end add the green chillies split in two and add the cashew nuts.

7.    In case you are using add the tomatoes and switch off the gas.

8.    Serve garnished with coriander with hot rotis or pav.

Notes:  Traditionally this curry is yellow in colour, my gravy is red as I have used badgi chillies. Traditional Goan chillies are pungent but do not give the red colour.  Also I have run out of fresh curry leaves so i used dried powdered one hence you cannot see it.

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