{"id":67,"date":"2024-07-30T10:06:29","date_gmt":"2024-07-30T09:06:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theseasoningpan.com\/?p=67"},"modified":"2024-07-30T10:06:29","modified_gmt":"2024-07-30T09:06:29","slug":"the-magic-of-ghugni-a-nostalgic-journey-through-rainy-college-days","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theseasoningpan.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/30\/the-magic-of-ghugni-a-nostalgic-journey-through-rainy-college-days\/","title":{"rendered":"The Magic of Ghugni: A Nostalgic Journey Through Rainy College Days"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cI am going to the canteen to have something now, you give my proxy in the class !!\u201d, I asked Barnali and hopped towards the college canteen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was raining. I travelled very early, and hardly had breakfast to college. This was in the late 90s. The 5.30 am local to Mednipore from Kharagpur was my everyday chariot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After my early morning coaching class, I headed towards the Police Line Bus stand to board my college bus\u2014that rainy morning. I reached college at 10 am and straightaway approached the college canteen. The breakfast time was over and lunchtime was yet to begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shilpi Masi, our very own cook at the canteen, with a kind smile and twinkling eyes, was serving the last few ladles of steaming Ghugni<\/em> to a queue of eager students. They were equally hungry, I guess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was the last one in the queue to get the plate. I asked for a Pauruti<\/em> to pair with. I sat at the table in the corner and ate in peace. While looking around, as I relished the meal, I saw a faded photograph hanging on one of the walls. Curious about knowing her story, I struck up a conversation once others left for their class and I merrily bunked. She told me she has been selling Ghugni<\/em> for over twenty years. She started the canteen 8 years ago, before that she used to work as a cook in people\u2019s homes. “Ghugni<\/em> is more than just food,” she said. “It’s a custom, a piece of our legacy.” She elucidated that her recipe was passed down from her grandmother, who used to make Ghugni<\/em> for the entire village during festivals. She pointed at the photograph showing the young herself standing beside her grandmother, smiling as they stirred a large pot of Ghugni<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As she chatted, Masi deftly prepared another plate of Ghugni<\/em> for me. The dish, made from Motor dal<\/em> or yellow peas slow-cooked with spices, was neatly garnished with chopped onions, green, chillies, and a squeeze of lime. The first spoon was a revelation\u2014a perfect blend of tangy, spicy, and savoury flavours. Masi continued, “You see, Ghugni <\/em>is not just about the taste, it is about the affection and care that goes into making it. Every ingredient, every spice, says a story.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I, as Bong have been relishing this dish in various forms. Especially when served in disposable Shaal <\/em>leaf bowls at roadside stalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the bustling streets of Kolkata, there is a special magic which gales through the air every evening. It is the aroma of Ghugni<\/em>. It has been considered a street food with a special place in the hearts of Bengalis. I have witnessed this dish being served with so many different accompaniments. Bengalis treasure having it with\u00a0Muri- <\/em>Puffed Rice and Pauruti – <\/em>Milk Bread. Another famous accompaniment is the Petai Pororta. This <\/em>is a paratha almost a foot and a half in diameter, which is fried and then beaten into small pieces which gives the name\u00a0Petai <\/em>or beating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Besides other accompaniments, the most famous is\u00a0Kochuri<\/em>. In some places, it is served with hard-boiled eggs too. How can I not mention the famous Mangsher Ghuhni<\/em>? In that goes minced meat (preferably mutton) that is mostly prepared post-Dashami or during the Bijoya phase. The addition of keema makes it richer, flavourful, and more distinctive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is one of the most versatile preparations in a Bong kitchen. On one hand, it blends street food, but on the other, it is an incredulous meal that is a staple of Niramish<\/em>(vegetarian) Bengali cuisine. No onion or garlic is added during the cooking process, and a small amount of Bhaja Moshla<\/em> – roasted spice powder is added to the dish to enhance the aroma and flavour. This version is an important part of the Durga Pujo<\/em> menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0Ghugn<\/em>i is an obsessional snack even in the villages of Bengal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I savoured the last bite, I realized that Ghugn<\/em>i was indeed more than just food. It was a connection to the past, a symbol of the community, and a testament to the enduring traditions of West Bengal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • 1 cup motor dal<\/em> (dried yellow peas)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 1 medium potato cut into 1-centimetre cubes<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • \u00bd cup onion finely chopped<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • \u00bd cup tomato finely chopped<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2 fresh green chilis finely chopped<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 1 tbsp tamarind pulp<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 1 tbsp turmeric powder<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 1 tsp coriander powder<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 1 tbsp cumin seed powder<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2 bay leaves<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2 green cardamoms<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2 cloves<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 1 small cinnamon stick<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2 tbsp mustard oil<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2 cups water to cook the dal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2-3 tsp Bhaja Moshala*<\/sup><\/em> for garnishing<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 1 tbsp sugar<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • salt to taste<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Get Cooking !!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Soak the Motor dal<\/em> overnight or for 8 hours, so that it plumps up<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Transfer this to a pressure cooker, and add a tsp of salt and the turmeric. Cook until the dal<\/em>\/peas soften<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Heat the oil until it smokes, then lower the flame and add the whole spices. Once they become fragrant add the sliced onions<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. When onions turn light brown, add the chilis along with the ginger and garlic pastes. Fry until their raw smell goes off<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Add the potatoes and stir fry for 5-6 minutes. Next, add all the spice powders and sugar along with the salt and 3-4 tbsp of water<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. Cook for 2-3 minutes and then add the tomatoes and wait until they soften<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    7. Next pour in the cooked Motor Dal<\/em>(dried yellow peas), and tamarind paste and give it a good mix. Then add \u00be cups of water and simmer on medium heat for another 10-15 minutes. Check for salt, and adjust if needed<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    8. Turn the flame off and add theBhaja Moshla.<\/em>Let it sit covered for 5-7 minutes<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    9. Serve your Ghugni<\/em>, <\/strong>hot with some chopped chilis, onions and coriander leaves.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Tips on Making Ghugni<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • The chutneys and spices in the Ghugni<\/em> chaat should not be used thoughtlessly. Never overdo the spices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • To avoid mushy peas, be mindful not to overcook the Ghugni<\/em> . This should take no more than 13 to 15 mins of cooking time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Only add onions, tomatoes, and other garnishes before serving when making Ghugni<\/em> chaat and not in advance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • The overnight soaking of the peas is the most crucial process when creating a delicious Ghugni<\/em> chaat. Keep in mind that if you skip this step, the peas won\u2019t cook correctly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • The gravy should be neither too thick nor too watery. While preparing the gravy, take extra care while adding water since it should be of a medium consistency.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • The Bhaja Mosala <\/em>should not be omitted in any instance. Ghugni<\/em> chaat\u2019s taste is heavily dependent on this ingredient.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        \u201cI am going to the canteen to have something now, you give my proxy in the class !!\u201d, I asked Barnali and hopped towards the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-67","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theseasoningpan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theseasoningpan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theseasoningpan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theseasoningpan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theseasoningpan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/theseasoningpan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69,"href":"https:\/\/theseasoningpan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67\/revisions\/69"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theseasoningpan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theseasoningpan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theseasoningpan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}