Mogri nu Shaak

I would attribute my families love for trying new vegetables to our neighborhood Bora Bazaar in Fort, Mumbai as much as to our neighbors, the Rajputs.

Mogri was introduced to us by Kaki, on one of those days when the fresh vegetables were brought in Kavads by the Vasaikars. This was 25yrs ago. It is a rarity to see those scenes now in the midst of Mumbai. My Mom came home with a huge mound of beans. She was so excited and told us that they were not tender Farasbi/ French beans but Radish pods! Radish Pods we gasped! Had anyone seen Radish pods! 

I felt the same excitement and it was the same scene flash forward 25 yrs, in Total Mall, Blr. Me and Seema had lunch there and were shopping for green groceries. We spotted this really tender mound of beans. Both of us fascinated by its freshness and tenderness. On reading the name plate which said "Mungori" I almost exclaimed to her that these were indeed Mogri in Gujarati!

I picked carefully a 1/4 kg and stocked it up for a weekend meal. This recipe I am sharing here is my own though I did research for it on the net and found these two.

Mogri @Healthy Indian Recipes 

Moongre ki subzi @ A Mad Tea Party

I decided to do it my own way. Taking a clue from Anitha I decided to make it less oogra. I like new flavors but not strong ones. I was playing safe as I had no memory of the taste from the past.

So here is my intuitive twist. I just read that old comment on that post and may be Anita might find this twist a way to lure that anti oogra camp and actually win them over. 

Ingredients

1/4 kg Mogri

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 small potato

1 tablespoon roasted peanut powder

2 teaspoons grated dry coconut

1/2 teaspoon Kanda Lasun Masala(Buy it here)

handful of chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon oil

Heat oil in the wok. Add cumin and mustard seeds. Just as they crackle add the broken and  washed Mogri. The pungency of the Mogri will hit your nose. Then grate the small potato into nice shreds to compliment the beans and add to the wok. Add the Kanda Lasun chatni, turmeric powder. Cover and cook for a while. Sprinkle the salt and cover. Let it cook in the juices. The color of the beans gets denser on cooking. Once half done add the peanut powder and grate the dry coconut over it, about 2 teaspoons. Stir and mix. Let the Shaak cook for another 5 mins till the potato is cooked. Now mix in the cilantro. Switch of the heat. 

Meanwhile roll out thin rotlis and puff them up to perfection on the open flame. Serve hot with Mogri nu Shaak. I bet you are going to love it for its fresh flavors. What does it taste like? The texture is like mature spring onions, sharp taste yet masked a lot by the spicing and potato. The potato shreds go so well with the broken pods. My proportions are light but if you prefer more spice then up the amount of Kanda lasun chatni, we don't have a stomach for it.

This weekend I am experimenting with new ingredients and I am excited about sharing here, keep a watch. Happy weekend!