Patal bhaji in tomato gravy

March 22, 2024

Patal bhaji in tomato gravy

Patal bhaji is a curry like preparation. It is one of the dish available for breakfast at every restaurant in Goa. Here I have made it with mung beans in a tomato based gravy, you can make this recipe using other legumes as well.

Ingredients:

Mung beans : 1 cup

Potato : 1

Fresh coriander : handful

Salt : to taste

Sweetener : to taste

Masala:

Spicy dry red chili (small) : 3

Cinnamon : 1 & 1/2 inch piece

Clove : 4

Cardamom : 1

Pepper : 1/2 tsp

Coriander seeds : 1 tsp

Fennel seeds : 1 tsp

Cumin seeds : 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds : 1 pinch

Oil : 1 tblsp

Garlic (Indian) : 4 cloves

Onion : 1 big

Coconut : 3 - 4 tblsp

Turmeric : 1/2 tsp

Tomatoes : 2 big

Tamarind : 1/2 a marble size ball

Procedure:

Wash the mung beans thoroughly by massaging them with your hands and soak them overnight.

Dry roast the whole spices starting with red chili, cinnamon, clove, cardamom and pepper. After they start releasing their aroma and changes it's colour add the coriander seeds, fennel seeds and cumin seeds, roast them for a minute and finally add fenugreek seeds and give it a quick stir. Transfer these spices to a bowl and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add garlic, sliced onion and sauté till light brown, to this add the grated coconut and roast it for 2 - 3 minutes

Then add sliced tomatoes and let them cook until they become soft and mushy.

After the tomatoes have softened, add turmeric powder and the roasted spices and mix well. Allow this to cool down, then grind it along with tamarind to make a smooth paste.

Mean while cut the potatoes into cubes, wash the soaked mung and put them into a pressure cooker, add water just enough to cover up everything, put the lid on and pressure cook them until 1 whistle.