“Ghugni” or lentil meat soup is one of the top ten Bengali delicacies you have to try once in your life. Ma used to make it for my familiy at least once or twice a month. She prepares it in a vegetarian (with coconut, ginger et al.) and a non-vegetarian way. It is served as an evening snack with a lot of onion, green chiles and lemon. Dad returned home from the university where he taught at the same time I returned home from school and mom would serve us a big bowl of ‘ghugni’ with a hot cup of tea.
It is surprising to many that this food is commonly served by street vendors. In front of many schools, street vendors sell ‘ghugni‘ in a leaf bowl. I was never brave enough to try it but my friend Somnath, who is a Kolkatan street food expert, told me that they serve it with tamarind water. I also heard that it is pretty cheap and costs only 10 rupees (0.16 USD). Every family has a unique way of cooking ghugni. For example, mom never adds green chiles to the recipe but my blogger friend Chandrima adds green chiles to spike the heat level.
On Monday evening I was clueless about what to cook. When I was expressing my frustration to mom over Skype she suggested I make ghugni. The next morning she explained the recipe to me in great detail. Sometimes I wonder what a girl like me would do had Skype not been invented.
Recipe for Goat Ghugni or Lentil Meat Soup
Lentil
- 1 cup Dried Yellow Peas, soaked in water over night, strained
- 2 cups water or more
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 bayleaf
1. In a pressure cooker, put the lentil and enough water to cover the lentil. Add turmeric powder and a bay leaf. Do not add salt. Cook over medium-high heat until there are 3-4 whistles. Lower flame to cook over medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes. Close the flame but do not open the lid.
Meat
- 1 pound goat meat, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- Salt to taste
- 1 small onion, quartered
- 1 piece (1 1/2 inches) fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 whole red chile
- 1 piece (1/2 inches) cinnamon bark
- 2 whole cloves
- 3 whole green cardamom
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon chile powder
1. In a heavy bottom pan, heat 1 cup water and vinegar over medium-high heat. Add meat pieces and cook uncovered until all water disappears. Take it aside in a bowl.
2. In a food processor, combine onion, ginger and garlic. Work the mixture until it forms a paste. Add this paste to the meat in the bowl. Add yogurt and stir well.
3. In another heavy bottom pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add red chile, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Cook for 1-2 minutes until they splutter. Add onion pieces and cook for 4-5 minutes until they are a little brown on edges.
4. Add the marinated meat mixture, turmeric and chile powder. Cook it over medium heat uncovered for 5-7 minutes, stirring continuously.
5. Add boiled lentil to the meat and cook for 4-5 minutes in medium-low heat uncovered.
Potato(optional)
1. Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add potato cubes and cook covered for 4-5 minutes until they are a little golden brown around the edges.
2. Add potato cubes to the lentil meat mixture and stir well.
3. Cook uncovered for additional 2-3 minutes.
Garnish
Garnish with onion, green chiles and serve warm with lemon juice.
This has been published by The BostonGlobe. The link is here.
Looks interesting. I think I might exclude meat this time and follow the rest as mentioned above!
I will post our recipe for without meat 🙂
Pingback: Turkish Lamb Bean Stew with Pilaf and Sumac onion salad