Nimona

On this third day of marathon, I have again cleared two recipes from my 'favorites folder' to create this wonderful home style preparation called Nimona. The name of the recipe itself drew my attention when the first time I came across it. Sounded like a pretty girl. :) This delectable dish from Awadh is packed with protein. Mungodis / wadis (vadiyalu) - the spiced, dehydrated lentils and the fresh peas cooked in a pea-onion-tomato base with a right balance of spices is a true delight to our palettes. The author mentions that  fresh chickpeas can replace peas. If you don't have mungoris, combination of other vegetables works too. It reminded me one of the variations prepared in my home state, vadiyala pulusu.
I made Priya Mitharwal's methi mungodis during summer after seeing her post and I used them today for nimona. Rememeber that they are very hard and could not be eaten like these fried uraddal ones / minapappu vadiyalu along with some rice.

Ingredients to make about 2 cups of mungoris:

2 cups - Moongdal
1.5 Tbsp - Salt
2 Tbsp Kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves(optional)
Green chillies (optional and the quantity depends upon the spiciness preferred)
A pinch of asafoetida powder (optional)

Making Mungoris:
Soak moongdal overnight or for a minimum of 3 hours.
Grind together moongdal, salt, chilies and asafoetida powder to a thick and smooth batter. Add kasuri methi to it and mix well.

Mungoris drying in the sun

Choose a spot where there would be plenty of sunshine (from morning to evening) like your backyard or terrace if in India. Pour the batter in about tsp sized heaps on a thick plastic sheet and sundry them until they turn crisp without any trace of moisture. It may take 2 -3 days to sundry them. Store them in an airtight container and use them when needed. They stay good for at least a couple of years if stored well.

Mungoris / Mungodis

Nimona making:

Ingredients for 5 servings:

1 & 1/2 cups Peas

3/4 - 1 cup mungoris

2 onions

2 tomatoes (I added a tomato & 3 Tbsp tomato paste)

1 tsp grated ginger

1/8 tsp turmeric powder

1.5 tsp chili powder

pinch of asafoetida

2 bay leaves

1 tsp cumin seeds

Powder - 3 cardamoms + 3 cloves + 1 inch pieces of cinnamon

(I also added 2 pinches of garam masala)

Salt to taste

Minced cilantro for garnish

Oil

 Onion- tomato paste, spices, coarse paste of peas & fried mungoris

Method:

1. Heat a tbsp oil and add ginger. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the onion. Fry till they turn translucent and then add the tomatoes. Continue frying till they turn mush. Cool and grind the mixture to a paste.

2. Meanwhile, coarsely grind 3/4 cup of peas with out adding any water. Add 2-3 tsp of oil to a pan and fry until the raw smell of the peas disappear, about 3 -4 minutes.

3. Fry the mungoris in oil till they turn brown and keep aside.

4. Now heat about 2 tsp oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they start to brown, add bay leaves and asafoetida and sauté for a few seconds. Then add the ground tomato onion paste and fry for 3 -4 minutes. Then add the fried mungoris, ground peas, the remaining 3/4 cup peas, salt, chili powder, turmeric powder, spice powder and about 2 cups of water. Let it simmer for about 15 - 20 minutes till the mungoris turn tender. Garnish with cilantro. Discard the bayleaves while serving.

Serve with warm rotis.

Check out the other bloggers doing this Blogging Marathon.
30 minute meals:Priya Mahadevan, Pavani
Salad: Ila, Divya Vikram
Entries for the ongoing events: Priya Suresh, Harini
Kid friendly dishes: Vatsala, Jay, Kamalika

Rice dishes: Veena KrishnaKumar, Padma Rekha, Priya Srinivasan

This goes to MLLA -33, hosted at Ammalu's Kitchen and an event started originally by Susan.

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