Bengali Ghugni recipe, prepared by cooking white or yellow matar (peas) in a whole load of spices, topped with onion, coriander, green chili sure to make you crave for more. It is light, fulfilling, yummy, and quite easy on the pockets as well.
Ghugni or curried white or yellow dried peas. A huge popular street food snack in Eastern India. Especially in Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and Bihar. Served both as a snack and accompaniment this dish is loved by everyone irrespective of their ages. Contrary to other street foods, it is quite a healthy protein-packed dish to indulge in.
White dried peas are a staple pantry ingredient. In fact, this white matar curry is one of those dishes I make whenever I run out of vegetables in my pantry. With just a few ingredients, a hearty, fulfilling meal is ready.
The base of this bengali ghugni recipe is onion, ginger, garlic, and tomato. Sometimes I also make it without using onion and garlic. If you want me to make the recipe, do let me know in the comment section below. Now let’s make it!
Ingredients
- White/yellow peas – washed and soaked overnight or 6-8 hours
- Vegetables – potato, onion, tomato
- Spice paste – ginger-garlic paste
- Whole spices – bay leaf
- Powdered spices – turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, roasted cumin powder, garam masala powder
- Herbs – fresh coriander leaves
- Salt
- Oil – sunflower oil
[Detailed measurements and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.]
Preparations
- Take soaked white peas, potato cubes, water, salt, and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker.
- Pressure cook for one whistle over a high flame and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from flame and allow the pressure to settle on its own.
- Once done, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Heat oil in a pan. Once the oil turns hot, add bay leaf and chopped onion. Saute until onions turn golden in color.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and saute until raw smell goes.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and a dash of water. Stir to mix.
- Add chopped tomatoes and salt. Saute till tomatoes become soft and mushy.
- Add coriander powder. Saute to mix.
- Add cooked peas and potatoes. Mix well. Cover and cook over medium flame for 5 minutes.
- Add roasted cumin powder, garam masala powder, and chopped coriander. Mix well and remove from flame and serve hot garnished with chopped onion, coriander, green chili, black salt, roasted cumin powder, and lime juice.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve ghugni as a chaat topped with chopped onion, green chili, coriander leaves, black salt, roasted cumin powder, thick tamarind water, and bhujia/sev.
- It could also be used as the base for a chaat.
- It makes for an amazing meal when topped with curd, onion, cucumber, coriander leaves, black salt, and roasted cumin powder.
- Serve it as it is along with rice, pulao, roti, paratha, luchi (poori) or kulcha. Fresh lime juice makes a lovely addition as well.
- It is also paired with puffed rice/murmura, onion pakoda(bhajia) or bara(vada).
Tips
- Some dried peas take little more time to cook. Hence cook accordingly.
- While cooking the yellow peas make sure they are not overcooked.
Few more similar snack recipes, you can check
If you try this recipe, please leave a feedback and rating. You can also tag me @spoonofflavor on Instagram.
Bengali Ghugni Recipe | Street Style Ghugni Recipe
INGREDIENTS ( 1 CUP = 250 ML )
For cooking the Dried Peas
- 1 cup whole dried white or yellow peas/matar washed and soaked overnight
- 1 medium-sized potato peeled, cut into small cubes, and washed
- 3 cups water
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ tsp turmeric powder
For the Curry
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 medium-sized onion finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 large tomato chopped
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
- ⅓ tsp garam masala powder
For Garnishing (optional)
- Finely chopped onion
- Finely chopped coriander leaves
- Chopped green chili
- Black salt
- Lime juice
- Roasted cumin powder
INSTRUCTIONS
Cooking the Dried White Peas
- Take soaked white peas, potato cubes, water, salt, and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker.
- Pressure cook for one whistle over a high flame and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from flame and allow the pressure to settle on its own.
- Once done, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Making the Curry
- Heat oil in a pan. Once the oil turns hot, add bay leaf and chopped onion. Saute until onions turn golden in color.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and saute until raw smell goes.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and a dash of water. Stir to mix.
- Add chopped tomatoes and salt. Saute till tomatoes become soft and mushy.
- Add coriander powder. Saute to mix.
- Add cooked peas and potatoes. Mix well. Cover and cook over medium flame for 5 minutes.
- Add roasted cumin powder, garam masala powder, and chopped coriander. Mix well and remove from flame.
- Serve piping hot ghugni garnishing with chopped onion, coriander, green chili, black salt, roasted cumin powder, and lime juice. Your lip-smacking ghugni is ready!
Notes
- Some dried peas take little more time to cook. Hence cook accordingly.
- While cooking the yellow peas make sure they are not overcooked.
- Serve it as a chaat topped with chopped onion, green chili, coriander leaves, black salt, roasted cumin powder, thick tamarind water, and bhujia/sev.
- It could also be used as the base for a chaat.
- It makes for an amazing meal when topped with curd, onion, cucumber, coriander leaves, black salt, and roasted cumin powder.
- Serve it as it is along with rice, pulao, roti, paratha, luchi or (poori) or kulcha. Fresh lime juice makes a lovely addition as well.
- It is also paired with puffed rice/murmura, onion pakoda(bhajia) or bara(vada).
I love this recipe! I also added boiled potatoes to mine, it tasted delicious. 🙂
Hi Shelly! Glad you have tried. Thanks so much for the feedback! 🙂