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Bengali Ghugni Recipe

Bengali Ghugni is a comforting, flavorful curry made with dried white peas, potatoes, and a fragrant blend of Indian spices. Popular in Bengali homes and on the streets of Kolkata, this humble dish is loved for its rich gravy, tender peas, and delicious toppings of chopped onion, green chilies, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Soaking the peas 8 hours
Course Snack and Fingerfood
Cuisine Bengali
Servings 4 adult

Ingredients
 

  • ½ cup White peas
  • 2 tablespoon Mustard Oil
  • 1 Green Chili
  • 1 Small Potato (4 Oz)
  • 1 Small Tomato (4 Oz)
  • ½ Small Onion (3 oz)
  • 1 teaspoon Salt (or more as per taste)
  • 1 teaspoon Bengali Gorom Moshla

Whole Spices

  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 2 Green cardamoms
  • ½ inch Cinnamon bark
  • 2 Dry Red Chili

Spice Paste

  • ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Chili Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Cumin Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder

For toppings if you are serving it as snack/chaat

  • Finely chopped onion
  • Finely chopped cucumber
  • Sweet Tamarind past

Instructions
 

  • Soak the peas in enough water over night. You will notice that the white peas puffs up and looks more yellow in color.
  • Boil the peas with little salt. You can either use pressure cooker or a pot in stove top.
    I prefer using a pot as pressure cooker can make the peas mushy if you cook it for too long.
    You want the peas to be soft enough so you can press it easily but should also retain shape.
  • While the peas are boiling, finely chop the green chili, onion, tomato and dice the potat
  • Once the peas are boiled keep it aside.
    To a heavy bottom pan, heat oil and add the whole spices. Let it sizzle for few seconds before you add the chopped green chili and diced potato.
  • Season with salt and let the potato cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add the onion and cook for 1 minute
  • Scatter the tomato and cook for 3 minutes or until the onion and tomato are softened.
  • Make the spice paste by adding the spice powdered mentioned in ingredient list along with water. Stir and add it to the pan.
  • Stir to mix everything and letit cook at 5 minutes or until the spices release oil.
  • Using the slotted spoon, add the boiled peas to the pan and mix it around.
  • Pour some of the boiled peas water from the pan and bring it to boil. Then lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
    Please note that based on how you plan to serve the Ghugni, you want to add water according to that.
  • Taste for salt and add more if needed. Add the Bengali Gorom Moshla and mix it one more time.
  • If you are serving it like chaat, pour the warm ghugni to a plate and top it with chopped onion, chopped cucumber and drizzle sweet tamarind chutney on top.
  • Enjoy ghugni warm!
Keyword bengali recipe, Bengali vegetarian dish, Durga Puja special, easy benagli dish, kolkata street food