Fish and Spring Onion Dal Curry ( Adapted from the Odia Mudhi Ghanta )

That I love to experiment with recipes is nothing new to you. Usually I try to do a fusion/crossover with two different cuisines but with this recipe, I have tried to bring together two different Odia dishes and create a completely new one. 'Mudhi Ghanta' or channa dal cooked with fish and ' Muga Dali -Paija Patra Tarkari' are two completely different recipes. The first one is spicy while the second one is as light as it can get.

Using the common ingredient, which is the lentil, I made a dish which is lightly spiced and can go either with rice or rotis. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup channa dal 
• 200 gm spring onions
• 1 medium sized potato
• 2 pieces lightly fried Rohu fish 
• 2-3 dry red chillis
• 1 green chili
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 5-6 nos garlic flakes
• 2-3 pinch turmeric 
• 3-4 tsp vegetable oil
• whole spices ( 1 inch cinnamon, 2-3 cloves, 1 bay leaf )
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash the spring onions and drain excess water. Cut into inch long pieces. Peel and cut the potato into six halves.

Lightly mash the shallow fried fish .

Wash and soak the channa dal for 3-4 hours.

Cooking - Wash and transfer the dal to a pressure cooker. Add salt, turmeric, green chili, potato, whole spices and 2 cups of water. Close the lid and cook for 2-3 whistles.

Remove from the stove and allow steam to escape. Lightly mash the dal.

Add the spring onions to the mashed dal and cook on medium flame for 4-5 mins.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and broken red chillis. Crush the garlic
flakes lightly and add to the spluttering seeds. Fry for 10-20 secs.

Pour the contents of the wok over the dal and spring onions. Add the fish. Close the lid and simmer for 2 mins.

Serve hot with white rice/rotis.

Note: Adjust the consistency as per your liking. 

Muga Dali-Piaja Patra Tarkari ( Moong dal-Spring Onion curry )

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients: Muga dali/moong dal ( 1 cup ), spring onions ( 200-250 gm ), dry red
chillis ( 2-3 nos.), pancha-phutana ( 1 tsp), garlic flakes ( 5-6 nos), turmeric (2-3 pinch ), salt to taste, any vegetable oil ( 3-4 tsp ) .

Preparation: Wash the spring onions and drain excess water. Cut into inch long pieces.

Dry roast the moong dal till it gives off a sweet fragrance.

Cooking: Wash and transfer the moong dal to a pressure cooker. Add salt, turmeric and 2 cups of water. Close the lid and cook for 2-3 whistles.

Remove from the stove and allow steam to escape. Lightly mash the dal.

Add the spring onions to the mashed dal and cook on medium flame for 4-5 mins.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the pancha phutana and broken red chillis. Crush the garlic
flakes lightly and add to the spluttering seeds. Fry for 10-20 secs.

Pour the contents of the wok over the dal and spring onions. Close the lid and simmer for 2 mins.

Serve hot with white rice/rotis.

Note: Reduce/increase the water content depending on whether you are planning to have it as a curry or dal.