Ghugni

Before you start

• Soak the dried peas in plenty of cold water overnight, or at least 8 hours. Under-soaked peas stay chalky no matter how long you cook them.
• Heat the mustard oil to smoking and let it cool a little before you start cooking — raw mustard oil is bitter.
• Chop the onion fine; it has to disappear into the gravy rather than sit in it.

Method

1. Drain the soaked peas and pressure cook them with 600ml water, the turmeric and 1 tsp salt for 3 whistles, then 10 minutes on low. They should crush easily between finger and thumb but still hold their shape.Salt the peas at this stage — added later it sits on the surface and never gets inside.
2. Heat the mustard oil in a kadhai until it smokes faintly, then lower the heat and let it settle for 30 seconds.
3. Crackle the cumin seeds and bay leaf for 20 seconds until the cumin darkens and smells toasted.
4. Add the chopped onion and fry over medium heat for 10-12 minutes until deep golden brown at the edges.This browning is where ghugni gets its sweetness; pulling the onion out pale leaves the dish flat.
5. Stir in the garlic and grated ginger and cook 90 seconds, until the raw smell goes.
6. Add the tomato and cook 6-8 minutes, pressing it down, until it breaks up and the oil separates at the edges of the pan.
7. Add the turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder with a splash of water and fry 1 minute so the spices do not burn.
8. Tip in the diced potato with 200ml water and cook covered 10 minutes, until the potato is just tender.
9. Add the cooked peas with their liquid and the slit green chillies. Simmer uncovered 12-15 minutes, mashing a ladleful of peas against the side of the pan to thicken the gravy.Mashing part of the peas is what gives ghugni body — do not add flour or let it stay watery.
10. Stir in the garam masala, taste for salt, and finish off the heat with lemon juice, black salt, julienned ginger and coriander leaves.

Storage

Keeps 3 days refrigerated and thickens as it sits. Reheat with a splash of hot water and add fresh lemon and ginger at the table, since both fade overnight.