Fresh Toor Gravy | Fresh Pigeon Pea Gravy | Green Tuar Gravy

After the very simple Sharjah shake that I posted yesterday, I have a gravy curry today. This was prepared way back in February.

February is indeed an unforgettable month this year! We had the Blogging Marathon’s 25th edition celebration meet in Ahmadabad [ Read about it here – Day 2, Day 3] and this meet is something that I enjoyed to the maximum, not to mention that I also ate like there is no tomorrow!!

So, on day three after a lovely ‘snack’ of spicy vada pav and Cholarfali , that topped up over a very hearty and heavy lunch that came after a delicious breakfast, Vaishali took us Veggie shopping.

There I saw this fresh toor / tuar/ pigeon pea and wanted half a kilo. Vaishali looked at me wondering why I wanted to buy something that was so common! Then I told her that fresh toor was not available at my place.

I came home after this wonderful meet loaded with gifts from my friends and all the fruits and veggies that I had got there.

Sadly, before I could try out recipes with the new veggies that I got, I fell sick with a very prolonged throat infection. After around 10 days, I gingerly opened the packet that held the fresh toor and to my utter suprise, it was still fresh!!I lost the precious Colocasia leaves and more than half the strawberries that I had got.I froze what remained of the strawberries as per Vaishali’s advice.

I made a simple side dish using the fresh pigeon pea for dinner….

When I served this that night, none at home could guess what I had made. They kept stressing that it was fresh peas that I had used in the gravy.Finally, not wanting them to break their heads searching for the right answer, I happily told them that it was the fresh toor that I had got from Ahmadabad.

I went on and on about the fresh toor till MIL told me that we get it in our place too in winter but it was ages since she saw them in the farmers market. Hubby was happy to have something new in his dish and the kids ate without complaint.

The next morning, I had a great surprise. A vendor was selling fresh toor in a push cart and was passing through our street!!!!

I used:

Fresh pigeon peas – 2 cups
Potato -1 large,peeled and cubed
Onion-1, chopped
Tomato-1,small, chopped
Kasuri methi / Dried fenugreek leaves – 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
Ginger garlic paste- 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
Coriander leaves- 1 teaspoon
Oil- 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste

Saute in a little oil and grind to a paste

Pearl onions – 10
Tomato- 1
Poppy seeds- 2 teaspoons
Green chilli- 2

1. Wash and pressure cook the  fresh pigeon peas with enough water till done. Don’t let it go mushy. [I cooked it for 3 hisses / 10 minutes on high flame.].Let the pressure release. Drain but do not discard the water.Keep the cooked dal aside.
2. Microwave or pressure cook the potato cubes till just done and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan and put in cumin seeds
4. When it crackles, add the onion and saute till soft.
5. Put in the tomato and cook till mushy.
6. Add the ginger garlic paste, the ground paste and saute till the raw flavor disappears. 
7. Add the cooked pigeon pea , potato , coriander powder, chili powder, salt and a little of the reserved water.
8. Bring to a boil and simmer.
9. After 5-8 minutes[or when the gravy gets to the desired consistency] add the kasuri methi and simmer for another 2 minutes.
10. Remove from heat and serve as a side dish with roti / Chapathi.

 

Take a look at the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#27

 

Logo courtesy : Preeti

Sending this nostalgic gravy to Claire @ Chez Cayenne  ,who is hosting the 58th edition of My Legume Love affair,an event started by Susan that is now carried on by Lisa of Lisa’s Kitchen

Bon Appetit…