Niramish Ghugni narkel diye/Vegetarian Yellow Peas curry - Durga Puja Special

Ghugni as it is called in eastern India mainly Bengal,Orissa,Bihar and Assam.It is dried yellow peas/matar cooked with gravy.This is a very famous evening snack in Kolkata which is served with puffed rice/kurmura(hindi)/muri(bengali).Be it on the streets or at home you will hardly find any bengali who would refuse it :) The recipe I have posted here is a vegetarian version which means there is no use of onion and garlic to it.This niramish(veg in bengali) ghugni is one of the common dishes you will find on the MahaAshtami eve of Durga Puja.

Ingredients-
dried yellow peas/matar
coconut
potatoes
ginger
green chillies
garam masala - dalchini, cloves, elaichi, tej patta
tomato
dhaniya powder
jeera powder
turmeric powder
red chilly powder
jeera/cumin seeds
salt
sugar
oil
water

Method-
Wash and soak the peas in water for 5-6 hours or overnight.
Pressure cook them with some salt till soft.
Make a paste of ginger and all the garam masala.
Chop the tomato, potato and green chillies finely.
Chop a fresh coconut into small pieces.
Heat oil in a non-stick kadai.
Fry the coconut pieces till golden brown.
Remove them once done.
In the same oil add tej patta and some cumin seeds.
Add the ground masala,chillies,tomatoes and poatatoes.
Add salt,pinch of sugar and all the powders - haldi, mirchi, dhaniya and jeera.
Let it cook till the oil separates out.
After about 5-8min add the boiled peas.
Cook for sometime without adding water so that all the masala gets coated over the peas.
Add water for it to cook.Adjust the salt as per taste.
Once the potatoes are cooked turn off the heat.
Garnish with fresh corinader leaves.
While serving sprinkle some masala over it.This is a home made masala which my mom uses - Dry heat the coriander and cumin seeds and then grind them to a powder.This is optional but it tastes heavenly.
You can also have onion and lemon wedges as an accompaniment with the peas curry.

Red lentil curry / Masurche Tonak / Masur Masala

Red lentil/Masur is one of the very nutritious dals rich in protein.Tonak in konkani means a spicy side dish, so this is a goan recipe which is very easy to prepare specially when you are running short of veggies in your pantry :)

Ingredients-
red lentil/masur
freshly grated coconut
tamarind
onion
oil
Spices - 
coriander seeds-dhaniya (1/2 tspn)
black pepper seeds-kali mirch (1/2 tsp)
cinnamon - dalchini(1 med stick)
cloves -laung (3-4)
dry red chillies (4-5)
cumin seeds -jeera (1/4 tspn)

Method-
Wash and soak the lentil in water for 2-3 hours.
Chop the onions roughly.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan.
Roast the spices and coconut lightly.
Allow it to cool, then grind it a paste with some tamarind pulp.
In the same pan fry the chopped onions.
Add the lentil and water so that it boils.
Red lentil becomes soft after soaking in water for 2-3 hours, so you do not need to pressure cook it.
When the masur is cooked, add the ground paste.
Add salt as per taste and let it cook for another 2-3 min.
Hot masur masala is ready to serve with rotis or steamed rice :)