Hirva Masala Moog Dal

I did not have a vatga so I used a bone china bowl to serve

No that is not what it is called in Koli cuisine. However here on the blog the other authentic Koli Tikhat Moog Dal is one of the most searched so to differentiate it the nomenclature. We use the ground green masala for this dal hence Hirva masala Moog dal it is from now on! Else is just called Moogachi Dal.

As you might have read on this blog how crazy my Koli's are about the fish curries and fries and how dal is made only on fasting days. This Dal however is found in all homes with babies younger than 2yrs. Most times you will find either a mother or grandma with a kid on one hip and a pitali (a special shaped quarter plate) or vatga (big steel bowl) in one hand mixing this Moog Dal and rice feeding the wailing baby in front of the homes as the passerby smiles at the baby. There has to be a cubed potato in the dal as it is fed to kids. This is a Koli kid's mum-mum and yum yum comfort food for adults. Today when I made it the satiation on my father's face was amazing. I just served him this dal rice with mango pickle, coconut chutney and roasted udid papad and I could see the bliss. My first morsel made me mutter, "Tastes like Thal." Obviously then you are reading this post.

Ingredients

1 cup deskinned split mung beans/ moog dal
3 tablespoon of grated coconut
2 green chilies
4-5 sprigs of coriander
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 cloves garlic
salt to taste
2 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

Wash and soak the moog dal in water for 1 hr.

In a chutney grinder make a smooth paste of coconut, chilies, coriander, cumin seeds and garlic. Save.

Heat oil in a pot and splutter mustard seeds in it. Transfer the dal into the pot along with the water in which it is soaked. Cube potatoes into pieces like in the picture that is also a must to get the right kind of texture of cook potato in the dal. Let it cook on sim. It took me 30 mins to get fluffy cooked dal.

I had the option of pressure cooking but the texture changes. Pressure cooking gives a pasty tasting dal whereas open cooking lends a nice coarser texture that is required to maintain the autheticity of the dal for this type.

Once cooked add the ground green masala to it and adjust the water to the consistency of your choice. We like it thick but not creamy. Let it boil for another 20 mins on sim.

Put off the heat and remove dal in a bowl. Scoop out small portions of rice into it and pick the potatoes from the dal and place them like shown. That will give you the real thing like in the picture. Mix with your fingers and enjoy in the true Koli tradition.

There is also the Pivli Dal made with Tur Dal but the taste is distinctly different even though the masala is the same.