Author Notes
Moong Lentils are considered one of the most simple and light lentils for metabolism.The lentils are sokaed,ground and slow cooked to bring about the best flavors in them and then turned into soft balls.One of the gems from my grandmother's Kitchen,I adore this recipe mainly because the lentils balls are not fried, they are soft as sponge and the medley with curry sauce is just awesome. —SinfullySpicy
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Ingredients
- Making the Lentil Balls
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2 cups
Yellow Moong Lentils
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2 tablespoons
chopped ginger
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2
Green Chillies
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1/4 teaspoon
Asafoetida
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1 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder
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1 teaspoon
Dry Fenugreek Leaves
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1 teaspoon
Salt
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2 tablespoons
Oil
- Curry Sauce
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1/2 cup
Chopped Onions
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1 cup
Chopped Roma tomatoes
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1
Bay Leaf
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2 teaspoons
grated ginger
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2 teaspoons
grated garlic
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1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder
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2 teaspoons
red chilli powder
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2 teaspoons
coriander powder
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1 teaspoon
garam masala powder
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1 teaspoon
dry mango powder
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1 teaspoon
dry fenugreek leaves
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4 tablespoons
Oil
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Salt to taste
Directions
- Making the Lentil Balls
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Wash the yellow moong lentils thoroughly under running water.Soak the lentils in 5 cups of water overnight or for at least 4 hours.
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Once soaked, drain and discard all the water from the lentils and transfer it to a blender.To the lentils add the chopped ginger, dry fenugreek leaves, turmeric , salt and chillies and blend with as little water as possible to a paste.The paste should neither be too coarse or too fine.
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Take a wide mouthed vessel or a pan and heat 2 tbsp oil in it.Once heated, transfer the ground lentils to the pan.Start stirring the lentil paste on a low heat.You have to continue untill the lentil paste starts to thicken and starts coming together in a soft dough.About 15-20 minutes. Taste the lentils to ensure that the rawness is gone
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Once the dough starts forming, immediately remove from heat, coz the lentils will continue to cook for 5-10 minutes in the absorbed heat.When the mixture is cool enough to handle, with oiled palms, roll into medium-sized balls or “golis”. Set aside the balls.
- Curry Sauce
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In another cooking vessel add the oil and heat it up till the oil starts smoking slightly.Add the finely chopped onion and cook till golden brown.After this add the bay leaf & grated garlic & ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes.
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Next add the chopped tomatoes along with chilli,coriander,turmeric powder and salt.Cook this masala [ spice mix] on low heat till the oil starts separating from the mix along the sides of the vessel.Add the garam masala & fenugreek leaves next to the vessel and cook for 2-3 minutes to combine.
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Lower the heat to minimum and 1/2 cup or more of water depending on how thick you like the gravy,cover and let the gravy come to a boil on a low heat.
Once the curry has simmered for 8-10 minutes, add the dry mango powder, stir it and add the lentils balls that you have prepared before.Let simmer covered for 5 more minutes. Once you have added the balls, do not stir the curry much else the balls will break.
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Remove from heat, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve warm with rice or flatbreads.
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