Ghugni is quite a popular street food in Kolkata which finds a resonance with my childhood and growing up in the city. I still have a vivid memory of the street hawkers carrying a large bowl of ghugni on the flame, roamed around the streets in the evening, calling for the buyers with a signature yell. Ghugni used to be a lucrative tiffin snack at the school gates with a piece of bread too. For those who had never heard about it, Ghugni is actually a spicy curry prepared with dried yellow peas which is  known as ‘ghugnir mator’ in Bengali. Pretty riveting in the tongue, Ghugni remains still a favourite and I use the following space to describe its recipe although slightly in a different mould. Here I will add Mutton keema in the Ghugni which makes it even more compelling for the non-vegetarians. Must admit although that is not my innovation at all. In fact ‘keema ghugni’ or ‘mangsher ghugni’ is also immensely popular in Bengal. Happy cooking.

Ingredients to serve 2-3 :

1. Minced mutton/Mutton keema – 150 gm.
2. Dried yellow peas (Ghugnir mator) – 1 small cup
3. Chopped onion – 3-4 (medium size)
4. Chopped tomato – ½
5. Chopped green chili – 2-3 (optional)
6. Ginger paste – 1 teaspoon
7. Garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
8. Yogurt – 1 tbspoon
9. Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
10. Red chili powder – ½ teaspoon
11. Garam masala powder – ¼ teaspoon
12. Whole garam masala (Cinnamon stick – ½”, Cloves – 3, Green cardamom – 2)
13. Bay leaf – 1
14. Salt to taste
15. Mustard oil – 5-6 tbspoon

Procedure :

Wash the minced meat and marinate with salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, yogurt and 2 tbspoon of mustard oil. Leave it for 2-3 hours.

Soak dried peas (ghugnir mator) over night (or at least 8 hours) in water.

Pressure cook the soaked peas with 2½ cups of water up to 2-3 whistles. Take out the cooked peas, with water, in a bowl and keep it aside.

Heat remaining mustard oil in a kadai over medium flame.

Add whole garam masala and bay leaf, saute till nice aroma comes out.

Add garlic paste, saute till it starts changing colour.

Add chopped onion, cook till it turns translucent.

Add ginger paste and cook the mixture till the onion turns light brown in colour.

Add chopped tomato and green chili, cook till the tomato gets mushy.

Now add marinated minced mutton and cook for 5 minutes or till oil comes out from the mixture.

Add 1 cup of hot water, let it comes to boil and then cover the kadai with a lid. Put the flame on lower end and let the mutton cook for 30 minutes. If the mutton seems to get stuck at the bottom keep adding little bit of water time to time.

Then add only the boiled peas and mix it with the meat mixture well. Raise the flame to medium and cook it for 3-4 minutes more.

Again add 1 cup of water (it may be the water you get after boiling the peas) and let it comes to boil.

Cover the kadai with a lid, put the flame on low and let the mixture cook for 3-4 minutes more.

Put the gas off and serve with roti or paratha or puri.

Note :

• You can add more than 1 cup of water if you want to get a little runny gravy.