A delicious and wholesome South Indian curry made with healthy green gram or mung beans makes an excellent choice for rice, rotis and such.
You will need:
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
Curry leaves - 6-8
Whole dried red chilies - 2
Asafoetida (hing) - a pinch
Onion - 1 small, finely chopped
Ginger - 2 tsp, grated or finely chopped
Garlic - 1 clove, minced
Green chilies - 2
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Red chili powder - ½ tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - a fat pinch
Tomato - 1 large, chopped
Green gram (mung beans or cherupayar) - 1 cup, washed and soaked in water till needed in the recipe
Milk - ½ - ¾ cup
Salt - to taste
Cilantro leaves - to garnish
How to:
Heat oil in a large pot or pressure cooker. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and red chilies.
When the seeds sputter, add a pinch of asafoetida, chopped onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Saute till onions are lightly browned.
Now add the masala powders and mix well. Add the chopped tomato and cook till mushy.
Add the green gram (mung beans) and enough water to just cover them. Add ½ tsp salt, cover and cook till beans are soft. If using a pressure cooker, cook for 2 whistles, remove from heat and allow the pressure to be released naturally.
Open the lid and add milk. Simmer gently till milk is heated through and curry is reduced to your liking. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve hot with steamed rice, rotis or idiyappams.
Notes:
1. Green gram or mung beans cooks easily than garbanzo beans , red beans, etc. According to where they are grown, some varieties do not need much soaking at all. But you can soak them for a small amount, while you are prepping the ingredients and making the masala. In fact, over-soaking them might leach vital nutrients and the vibrant green color. 2. Some recipes boil green gram separately and add to the masala. But I have found no reason to do so. 3. If you do not wish to use milk, feel free to use thick coconut milk in place of regular milk. 4. If you want to use freshly ground coconut, add the ground coconut along with the spice powders and saute well till coconut is cooked and fragrant. Then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Recipe by At The Corner of Happy And Harried at https://www.happyandharried.com/2016/01/05/green-gram-curry-kerala-cherupayar-curry/