Mangochi / Moong Dal Potli

'Mangochi' (Paneer like pieces), made from ground green gram, are cooked in traditional yogurt gravy.

Ground skinned split green gram is tied in cheese cloth to make ‘potli’, which is boiled in water to make ‘mangochi’.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup split skinned green gram lentil ( dhuli moong dal )
• 1 big onion paste
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• ½ cup yogurt
• tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 bay leaf
• 2-3 black cardamom
• Small stick of cinnamon
• 5 tbsp cooking oil
• Muslin cloth bag
• tsp lemon juice

Method:

• Wash and soak green gram for 2 hours.
• Grind it with minimum water in a fine thick paste. Add ½ tsp salt to it.

• Boil about 15 cups of water in a pan.
• Tie ground dal in a cheese cloth to make a ‘Potli’. Add this dal ‘potli’ to boiling water. (Please note that you should start making ‘potli’ only when water starts boiling).

• Boil for about 20-30 minutes till the ‘potli’ is hard from outside.
• Take out ‘potli’ from water and cool it by dipping in cold water.
• Dal will change in a paneer like structure. Remove it from the muslin cloth bag

• Cut it into 1” square pieces (mangochi).

• In a non sticking pan heat 2tbsp of oil. Fry the ‘mangochi’ in it till golden brown. Take out in a plate and keep aside.

• Add remaining oil in the same pan and heat it. When it becomes hot, add bay leaf, black cardamom and cinnamon.
• Add paste of onion, ginger and garlic; fry it till golden brown.
• Stir in tomato paste, coriander, red chili, turmeric powder, and yogurt. Cook on slow flame till masala leaves oil. Mix in garam masala and salt.
• Add ‘mangochi’ and 2 cups of water in it. Simmer it for 10 minutes. Adjust the amount of water according to your choice.

• When done, remove it from fire. Add lemon juice and take out in a serving dish.
• Garnish with chopped coriander.
• Serve it with Nan or Tandoori Roti.

Do You Know?

• Bouquet garni is a classic herb mixture used in cooking meats and vegetables. Traditionally, this mixture is tied up in cheesecloth for easy removal after flavoring.