Recipe : Green gram & Bamboo shoot

Recipe : Green gram & Bamboo shoot

This is a traditional Manglorean recipe, normally made when bamboo shoot is in season which is for a month in the year.

With canned bamboo shoot, this favorite dish of mine can now be made year round.

Ingredients:

• 1 can bamboo shoots drained and chopped
• 3/4 can 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
• vegetable powder
• sol/ tamarind
• oil

Soak the green gram overnight. You can even sprout it if you choose to.

If the bamboo shoot is fresh, it needs to be soaked in water for a day or two (changing water every 4-6 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 blacken 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 and dhal.