Moong Dal Curry and Chinese Bittergourd Fry

Moong Dal is one dal which doesnt make you bloat.
I think all other dals give you that hydrogen balloon feeling. Moong Dal is so widely used in Kerala from curries to sweets. Malayalees already have 'airs' so they don’t need other dals to give them that. :-)

Today I had an unexpected guest, so as usual had to clean out a bedroom (or used as 'safety box') in super fast mode. I can work so quickly I can clean an entire house in 10 minutes flat if I hear someone is coming home. Otherwise It will take years.

Moong Dal Curry
Roast 1 cup moong dal split. Ah? Whats moong dal split? Well, I didn’t know about moong dal-split until I came to U.S. It is prepared from the green moong dal after frying and peeling the skin. No don’t worry, you dont have to do all that. You get moong dal split in ready packets everywhere.

So, roast 1 cup moong dal into light golden brown colour and cook in a pressure cooker by adding 3 cups of water. Grind 1/4 cup coconut, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 4 green chilies, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, and 1 tsp of garlic to a smooth paste. Add to the cooked dal.Add salt. Heat 2 tsp of ghee, splutter mustard seeds, 2 red chilies split, shallot 1 diced or onion until brown and curry leaves in that order and add to the curry. This is the first item for Sadya after rice is served. I was too embarassed to click pictures since my guest had arrived.

Chinese bittergourd fry
When I used to live in one remote corner in U.S, I craved for our bittergourd. I used to hate it back home. But when you know you cant get it, you get cravings. I just wanted to touch it atleast. And I discovered a fairer cousin of our bittergourd. The chinese bittergourd. She is not that bitter, is fairer than her cousin, and holds lots of water.It is very easy to prepare this upperi. Cut into small slices and remove the seeds from inside.

Heat oil, mustard spluttering, saute onions and the usual stuff like you prepare for any upperi/fry/mezhukkupuratti. But dont cover this vegetable while cooking. It has lots of water. So It will become mushy very quickly. Keep in high flame too, so the water evaporates quickly. This is very tasty with morukaachiyathu or buttermilk curry due to its slight bitter taste.