Recipe: Moong ani Keerlyache nisthe - Green gram and bamboo shoots

I had blogged this recipe sometime back, when I was in Egypt and using tinned bamboo shoots. That  post was about 2 years ago.

I'm reposting the recipe here with more pictures, fresh bamboo shoot and freshly grated coconut

I found some extremely fresh and tender bamboo shoots in the market the other day and I HAD to make one of my favourite vegetarian dishes from childhood (Manglorean Catholic cuisine doesn't do a very good job with vegetables, so we had a few favourites)

The bamboo shoot that mum gets at the market back home is normally finely chopped. I found mine in chunks at the market and I made much bigger slices than what is traditionally used in this dish (I love the taste of bamboo shoot and like the bigger pieces used in South East Asian cooking)

The bamboo shoot needs to be soaked in water for 2 days, changing the water every 12 hours to take away the heaty properties of this vegetable.

I prefer to use sprouted green gram as it adds to the crunch of the dish, some households use soaked and cooked green gram without sprouting it which gives a slightly dryer rather than crunchy texture.You can use whichever you prefer. I soaked them the same time as I started soaking the bamboo shoot. But with the heat in Delhi right now - 40C+. It sprouted about an inch and a half within 24 hours of soaking it. (soak for about 8 hours then drain and leave to sprout, wetting frequently)

Ingredients:
100 gms bamboo shoots chopped
2 katoris green gram (sabut moong dhal with chilka) lentils
1/2 a coconut grated (you can substitute dessicated coconut, but it wont taste as good as fresh coconut)
1 large onion
3-4 cloves garlic
5-6 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard
1-2 tsps vegetable powder to taste
2-3 pieces of sol/ 2 tsps tamarind paste
oil
salt to taste

Soak the green gram overnight. You can sprout it if you choose to.
If the bamboo shoot is fresh, it needs to be soaked in water for 2 days (changing water every 12 hours) to take away the heatiness. (This is an Indian term that I cannot find the right English translation for)
If the bamboo shoot is tinned, you can just drain the water and rinse before using.

Cook the green gram and bamboo shoot with a little salt, a piece or 2 of sol (or substitute with tamarind - but this will darken the color of the dish) and a little vegetable powder to your preference. I like it crisp while my siblings prefer it mushy.
(If you like your sprouts raw, then only cook the bamboo shoot)

Heat a teaspoon of oil.
Drop crushed garlic into it and roast till it turns dark brown, add mustard seeds, more vegetable powder and curry leaves. This is the seasoning.
Add chopped onion and coconut and cook till raw smell disappears.

Add the green gram, bamboo shoot mix and mix well on heat.

Serve hot with rice or roti and dhal.

NB: sol is the dried fruit of a tree used in Manglorean cooking.