Moong bean curry (Whole Green Gram) - Crock pot style

Yet another recipe for those evenings when you get back home from work and smell the sweet fragrance of 'no cooking tonight..dinner is ready'!!

Ingredients:

• Moong - 3 cups (dry)
• Onion - 1 medium sliced
• Garlic  - 3 pods crushed
• Ginger paste - 1 table spoon
• Jeera (Cumin seeds) - 1 tea spoon
• Garam Masala powder (Curry powder) - 1 table spoon
• Tomatoes - 2 medium coarsely chopped
• Salt - 1.5 table spoons (add per taste)
• Red Chilli Powder - 1 table spoon (add per taste)
• Turmeric - 1 tea spoon
• Water - 7-8 cups
• Kasoori Methi - 2 table spoons
• Cilantro - 2 table spoons

Method:

To a Crock pot, add all the above ingredients and turn it on slow cook for 8-9 hours.  Hot Moong bean curry is ready to eat. This goes really well with chapati, roti or just plain rice or Fragrant Ghee Rice.

Note: 

1. For a non-spicy version, take some aside before adding chili powder. Continue cooking for 30 more minutes to get the raw smell of the Chili powder.
2. You can find Sambar Powder in most of the Indian Grocers.  Every brand makes it a different way.  For this recipe, you can use any brand.
3. When using Sambar Powder make sure that you compensate for the chili powder used in it.  Some brands add chili powder to the Garam masala.

Onion Bhaji

Onion bhaji reminds me of those monsoon nights back home.  When it is pouring and cold outside, we would all cuddle up and eat those hot onion bhajis mom made.  I can almost smell them!!

Ingredients:

• Besan (chickpea flour) - 1 cup
• Rice flour - 1/4th of a cup
• Baking soda - 1/2 tea spoon
• Red chili powder - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)
• Green chilies (optional) - 2-4 finely chopped
• Cilantro - 2 table spoons
• Onion - 2 cups - sliced long and thin (I used the red onions)
• Peanuts (shh...this is my secret ingredient) - 2 table spoons
• Jeera (Cumin seeds0 - 1 tea spoon
• Salt - 1 table spoon (add per taste)
• Water - about 1-2 cups .  Adjust per consistency. The consistency should be that of a pancake batter.
• Oil to fry - about 2 cups (I used Canola and Olive oil is a little difficult to fry with)

Method:

Mix all the above ingredients to form a batter of pancake consistency.  Heat oil in a deep frying pan.  You can check if the oil is ready to fry by dropping a few drops of the batter in it. If the batter rises up, the oil is ready for frying.  With a table spoon, scoop the batter and drop it in the oil slowly without splattering.  Turn the heat to medium.  Fry the bhajis till golden brown.  This takes about 3-5 minutes.

Serve it hot with hot and sour sauce or tomato ketchup.