Bengali ghugni recipe – learn how to make delicious Bengali motor korai ghugni (Kolkata street style recipe) at home with step-by-step pictures.
What is ghugni?
Ghugni is a Bengali street food, a savoury Bengali white peas curry(motor korai tarkari in bengali language) recipe. A Bengali style popular veg snacks even goes best with Bengali side dish like traditional bengali breads i.e, luchi(bengali poori), ruti, even with muri(moori), pauruti (pau bread or bun).
Ghugni has several recipes in Bengali cuisine, cooked with onion-garlic(amish ghugni), without onion garlic( niramish ghugni) and mangsher ghugni(keema ghugni). However, today I am going to share Bengali Amish ghugni recipe made with white or yellow peas or motor/matar korai (ghugni’r korai) and aloo cooked in an onion, ginger-garlic, tomato, garam masala based gravy.
Variations of ghugni recipe
In Bangladesh – Ghugni is one of the favourite dishes among Bangladeshi Bengali too. Though in Bangladesh, ghugni is more popularly served as chaat made by sidhdho motorer korai. Prepared with boiled white peas lentils (ghugni korai) mixed up with salads and flavourful spices. In Bangladesh, this street-style matar chaat is named “chotpoti”. This chaat contains boiled motor, chopped onion-cucumber-coriander salad, a few dry roasted powdered masala, tamarind pulp with grated eggs(dim), sev(jhuri bhaja) on its top. A closed version of that chaat we have seen to made in Kolkata streets however devour without eggs.
In Odisha – Even Odisha and Bihar also prepare their own version of ghugni. Though Odia ghugni is less spicy than Bengali ghugni, named ghugni or ghuguni (in Oriya language) served with “puri (poori)” or Odia-style bara named “Pakodi”.
In Bihar – On the other hand, Bihari ghugni is basically made of black chickpeas or Kala chana, though the spices are almost the same as bengali ghugni.
Serving Tips
However, ghugni is the best catch with traditional Indian bread, like ruti (roti), Luchi (Bengali poori), porota(paratha), koraishutir kochuri(bengali green peas kachori), dal puri(daal stuffed hing basis poori). However, ghugni-Pauruti(bread) or ghugni-muri combo meal is the most popular even best-selling breakfast in the roadside tea stall to local trains in Bengal. Even in West Bengal (including Kolkata), ghugni is popularly served as a street-side chaat too.
Tips to soak and boil White peas
Soaking white peas/ghugni motor is the most important part of making ghugni, at least 8-10 hrs of soaking is required before making this Bengali recipe. Without perfect soaking, motor korai may not be cooked properly and half-boiled peas can also spoil the taste of this dish. Though a few varieties of peas even take 12 hrs to get properly soaked.
Though motor korai is the main ingredient of ghugni however, potatoes(aloo) give a special touch to this dish. Moreover, to make the best ghugni, motor korai should be evenly cooked, which means, every motor korai shape must be intact after cooking. An overcooked motor can spoil the taste of this gravy by making it thick and mushy.
For Occasions
In the early days, Biyoya Dashami was the only festival when ghugni was certainly made in every Bengali kitchen(from West Bengal to Bangladesh). So rather than food, ghugni is a direct connection with our Bengali emotions. Even, except for such Bengali festivals, in our childhood, ghugni was the most common preparation in Bengali households to celebrate special occasions(such as birthdays or housewarming parties) too. Though still in-house parties to a potluck, this recipe performs best not only among Bengali friends but is much appreciated by vegetarians (from North India to South India) too.
In Kolkata Streets
Ghugni is also popular as a tasty and healthy evening snack recipe available in the streets of Kolkata aka all over Bengal. In the evening time, in street-side food stalls, ghugni serves as a chaat. Served hot in a leaf bowl garnished with chopped onion, coriander, green chilli, a sprinkle of bhaja masala and lime juice or tamarind pulp.
Similar recipes
Though Bengali ghugni seems quite similar to Mumbai style ragda or North Indian dish matar chaat recipes. However, that matar chaat-making process is quite different from our bengali ghugni, so their taste is different as well. Even the use of aloo and our special bhaja masala is the main reason to make the difference between these two peas recipes. But if you like those white peas recipes then you may love this Bengali ghugni too.
Try this Bengali ghugni at home and share your valuable feedback in my comment section, below this recipe.
Try some other Bengali veg recipes, like Aloor Dum, Cholar Dal, Radhaballavi.
Bengali ghugni recipe | how to make bengali motor korai ghugni
Ghugni is a Bengali street food, a savoury Bengali white peas curry(motor korai tarkari). Served as Bengali snacks or Bengali side dish with luchi(bengali poori), ruti, muri(moori), pauruti.
Ingredients of ghugni
- 300 gms Whole White Peas/ Motor Korai(Ghugni’r Korai)
- 3-4 Potatoes(Medium)
- 2 Onion(Finely chopped)
- 5 Garlic cloves
- 1/2 inch/5 g Ginger
- 1 Tomato (Medium)
- 3 pcs Green chillies
- 2 pcs Bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds(Gota Jeere/Jeera)
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 3/4 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- 2 tsp Bhaja Masala
- 1/4 tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 3/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- a Handful of Chopped Coriander Leaves
- 1/4 tsp Sugar
- 2 tsp Salt
- Water(as required)
- 4-5 tbsp Mustard Oil/Vegetable oil
For making Bhaja masala for ghugni
- 1+1/2 tbsp Whole Cumin Seeds
- 1+1/2 tbsp Whole Coriander Seeds
- 2 pcs Bay leaves
- 2 pcs Dry Red Chillies
Prep time: 10 mins
cooking time: 50 mins
Total time: 1 hr
Served for: 6-8 people
Course: Breakfast/ Snacks
Cuisine: Bengali
Author: Moumita Paul
How to make Bengali ghugni recipe (motor korai ghugni) with step-by-step pictures
Instructions
Method of soaking yellow peas (ghugni motor) and boiling with aloo
- Rinse and soak white peas or ghugni motor/matar in 4 cups of water(≈ 1 liter) overnight or for at least 8-10 hours.
- Once the white peas are soaked well, wash them thoroughly, drain the water, and put them in the pressure cooker.
- Cut 3-4 medium-sized potatoes(≈300g) into small cubes as shown in the pic.
- Wash it thoroughly, drain the water and add it with the soaked motor korai.
- Add 3-4 cups of water(≈750 ml to 1 litre), so that the peas and aloo just drown in the water (as shown in the pic).
- Add 3/4 tsp of salt to it.
- Place the cooker on medium to high heat and wait for 3 whistle blows.
- Don’t remove the cooker until its pressure releases automatically.
How to make bhaja masala for bengali ghugni
- In the meantime, take a pan, add 1+1/2 tbsp whole cumin seeds, 1+1/2 tbsp whole coriander seeds,2 pcs bay leaves, and 2 pcs dry red chillies and dry roast the spices.
- Once the aroma comes from the spices then take it out of the pan and completely cool it down.
- Once the masala cools down, put it in a small blender jar and blend it until forms a fine powder.
- Our bhaja masala is ready for this bengali ghugni.
Other ingredients of ghugni
- Take two medium-sized onions and a hand full of coriander leaves, and finely chopped them. Keep it aside.
- Again take the blender jar used in making bhaja masala.
- Wash it, and add a medium-size tomato(cut into halves or four pieces), 5-6 garlic cloves(medium to big), 1/2 inch ginger, and 3 green chillies to it.
- Blend it well until it turns into a smooth masala paste.
How to cook motor korai ghugni
- Heat the pan on medium, and add 4-5 tbsp of mustard oil/vegetable oil to it.
- Once the oil is hot, add 1/4 tsp of whole cumin seeds(got jeere) and 2 bay leaves to the pan.
- Add the chopped onion into the pan and fry it until gets golden in colour.
- Then add the masala paste to the pan(kept in blender) and fry it until it gets almost dry.
- Then one by one, add 1 tsp cumin powder, 3/4 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder(for colour), 3/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1+1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp sugar to the pan.
- Mix all well together.
- When the oil separates from the masala, then add the boiled peas and potatoes to the pan.
- Mix it nicely with the masala.
- Cook the peas in masala, let the gravy starts boiling, then cover the pan with a tight lid and slow down the heat to its minimum.
- Cook it for 10-15 mins to infuse the spices into the peas and potatoes.
- After 15 mins, take out the lid of the pan, add 1/2 tsp of garam masala powder and 2 tsp bhaja masala.
- Mix it well. Cook it for 5 mins more.
- Check the peas(by mashing with fingertips).
- If peas are easily mashed, then little mash the potatoes with the spatula to make the gravy in the right consistency(if not like too patla/thin gravy).
- Then sprinkle the chopped coriander on top of the gravy and mix it well.
- Cover the lid once again to infuse the aroma of coriander and spread all of the curries. Turn off the heat.
- Our Kolkata street style Bengali motor korai ghugni is ready, direct serve this hot tarkari from the pan for accompanying with morning breakfast or as the evening snacks with the chopped onion, coriander, green chillies, a sprinkle of bhaja masala and a squeeze of lime juice.
Tips
- Must soak the motor/matar overnight at least for 8-10 hrs to get the best result.
- Every motor(matar) korai should be evenly cooked. Overcooked korai can spoil the taste of this gravy and the gravy gets thick and mushy.
- In my pressure cooker(Prestige 3.5 litres), 3 whistles(on medium to high heat) are enough to perfectly boil the peas. However, no. of whistles may vary for using other brands.
- Here I did not add extra water. For more gravy you may add a little more water, then add a little salt too according to taste.
- For making more or less in quantity, increase all the ingredients proportionately.
- I cook it in mustard oil to keep its Bengali flavours intact. Though you may use vegetable oil too.
Serving suggestions
Serve ghugni in breakfast with ruti (roti), Luchi (Bengali poori), porota (paratha), koraishutir kochuri (green peas kachori), dal puri (daal stuffed poori) or even with Pauruti or muri. Or serve it as chaat by garnishing it with chopped onion, coriander, green chilli, a sprinkle of bhaja masala and lime juice or tamarind pulp.
FAQ about this recipe
What are dry white peas?
Dried white peas are nothing but dry green peas. When green peas get ripe and turn yellow, then make it dry to get these white peas.
What is split yellow peas?
Split yellow peas mean yellow peas after removing their skin. Just like chana dal is made from whole black chickpeas. In our Bengali cuisine, the good name of these split yellow pulses or lentils is motor dal used in making different healthy dishes.
Where to get white peas?
In Kolkata, even all over West Bengal, white peas or ghugni’r korai are easily available in every local grocery store. Though outside Bengal, you can get white peas in a sealed packet in local supermarkets or malls. However, I sometimes order white peas packets from Big basket or Amazon.
What to do if yellow peas are too hard to get boiled?
Due to its different varieties, it is hard to choose its best quality. So sometimes I too get such yellow peas which are hard to cook even after long hrs soaking. Then I boil it up with half a tsp of baking soda but after boiling don’t use its water in this recipe. As consuming more baking soda is not good for health and that spoil the taste of this curry too.
How to boil peas without using a pressure cooker?
Take a pan, add soaked peas, cube cut potatoes, salt and add enough water to make sure all the ingredients just get drowned in the water. Boiling it in low flame by covering it with a tight lid. Check it after every five minutes and add water if reduced much. Though this method takes huge time however there is no chance of overcooking.
How to boil the peas in a rice cooker?
For boiling peas in the rice cooker, just follow the same method used in making rice. Use the measuring cup for measuring both the soaked peas and water. Keep the proportion of peas and water the same as the proportion of rice and water is instructed over the rice cooker booklet.
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