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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
10 minutes
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Serves
8
Author Notes
Mahalaya or the beginning marks the start of the auspicious holiday season in India. Yes, it of course goes beyond just that one ended day of Diwali or Deepawali or the festival of lights.
One year, just to acknowledge this beginning, and to put character onto my table, I played around with our steady and staple - lentils on the table.
But honestly, this dish meshes the South Indian Sundal - a medley of pulses tempered with toasted mustard seeds, curry leaves, and some asafetida with the North Indian Chaat.
A bean or pulse infused chaat in North India is a blend of stuff, with black salt, lots of lime and anything else like cilantro and stuff that you can think of. The result is a show stopping brilliantly flavored, rainbow-colored mixed bean chaat. —Rinku Bhattacharya /Spice Chronicles
Ingredients
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1/2 cup
cooked green lentils (moong lentils)
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1/2 cup
cooked red kidney beans (rajma)
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1/2 cup
fresh or frozen corn kernels
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1
medium sizedred onion, diced
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1 tablespoon
sized tomato dized
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2 tablespoons
vegetable oil
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1 teaspoon
whole mustard seeds
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1
sprig of curry leaves (about 6 to 80
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2 teaspoons
black salt
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1/2
medium sized bell pepper, diced
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1/2 teaspoon
red cayenne pepper
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1/4 teaspoon
sugar
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2 tablespoons
chopped cilantro
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1
medium sized green chili, such as a serrano minced (optional)
- To Finish
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3 tablespoons
freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 lime)
Directions
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked green lentils, red kidney beans and the corn with the chopped red onion and tomato.
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Set this aside.
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In a medium sized bow, heat the vegetable oil and add in the mustard seeds and wait until the seeds crackle. Add in the curry leaves and stir for 15 seconds.
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Mix in the lentil bean medley and stir well.
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Add in the black salt, red cayenne pepper and sugar. Mix well and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
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Stir in the salt and cover and cook the mixture on low heat for about 1 and 1/2 hours, it should be cooked until the beans and the lentils are soft but not mushy or the chili will not look attractive.
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Stir in the sugar, cilantro and green chili.
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Finish with the squeezed lime juice and enjoy warm or at room temperature.
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