Ghugni | Bengali Street Food
Ghugni is a popular Bengali street food made from dried white or yellow peas simmered in a spiced onion-tomato gravy. Flavored with ginger, green chilies, and aromatic Bengali spices, it’s topped with chopped onions, coriander, lemon juice, and sometimes a dash of tamarind chutney. This hearty, tangy, and mildly spicy dish is enjoyed as a snack or light meal, often paired with puffed rice or bread.
Ingredients
For Boiling
- White Peas Dried (सफेद मटर सूखे) – ½ Cup Dried (½ Cup After Soaking – 1 Cup/205gm)
- Onion (प्याज़) – ¼ No
- Green Chillies (हरी मिर्च) – 1 No
- Water (पानी) – 2½ Cup
- Salt (नमक) – To Taste
- Turmeric (हल्दी) – ½ Tsp
For Bhaja Masala
- Green Cardamom (हरी इलायची) – 3 Pc
- Fennel Seeds (सौंफ) – 1 Tbsp
- Cumin (जीरा) – 1 Tbsp
- Coriander Seeds (साबुत धनिया) – 1 Tbsp
For Masala
- Mustard Oil (सरसों का तेल) – 3 Tbsp
- Dried Red Chilli (सूखी लाल मिर्च) – 2 No
- Green Cardamom (हरी इलायची) – 5-6 No
- Cinnamon (दालचीनी) – 1 Inch Pc
- Bay Leaf (तेज पत्ता) – 2-3 No
- Cloves (लौंग) – 4 Pc
- Cumin Seeds (जीरा) – 1 Tbsp
- Onions (प्याज) (Thinly Sliced) – ½ Cup
- Green Chillies, Chopped (हरी मिर्च) – 1 Tsp
- Ginger Garlic Paste (अदरक लहसुन पेस्ट) – 1 Tsp
- Potatoes (आलू) (Small Cubes) – ½ Cup
- Turmeric (हल्दी) – 1 Tsp
- Chilli Powder (मिर्च पाउडर) – 1 Tbsp
- Cumin Powder (जीरा पाउडर) – 2 tsp
- Coriander Powder (धनिया पाउडर) – 1 tbsp
- Tomatoes, Diced (टमाटर) – 1 Cup
- Salt (नमक) – To Taste
- Green Chillies, Slit (हरी मिर्च) – 1 No
- Bhaja Masala – 1 Pinch
- Sugar (चीनी) – Small Pinch
- Ghee (घी) – 2 tsp
For Garnish
- Tamarind Water (इमली का पानी) – 4-5 tbsp
- Onions, Chopped (प्याज) – Handful
- Green Chillies, Chopped (हरी मिर्च) – To Taste
- Coriander, Chopped (धनिया) – Handful
- Sev (सेव) – Handful
- Lemon (नींबू) – ½ No
Instructions
- Add the soaked white peas into a pressure cooker. add in a quartered piece of onion and green chilli. add in the water, seasoning and turmeric. seal the lid of the pressure cooker and cook over a high flame till the first whistle, then reduce the flame and cook for another 4-5 whistles. We want the white peas to be cooked but not meshy.While the white peas cook, you can move onto making the Bhaja masala or Bengali garam masala. In a small pan add the masalas and roast over a low flame. as the masalas get fragrant and dry up, transfer into a masala grinder and grind to a fine puree.Once the white pea goes through the whistles, take the pressure cooker off the heat and keep on the side to cool. check the texture and keep on the side.Now we will move on to the masala. In a kadai add the mustard oil and cook and swirl the oil in the kadhai to reduce the oil’s pungency. Next, add in the whole red chillies, green cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves and cumin. give a quick stir and add in the onions.
- stir the onions a bit and add in the chopped green chilli and ginger garlic paste and stir for a few seconds.next add in the cubed potatoes. We will now bhuno or roast this while stirring in the kadhai. Once the onions become lightly browned, we add in the powdered masalas.add in the turmeric, red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder. give a quick stir to cook the masalas but be careful not to burn them. then add in the tomatoes along with salt and bhuno or roast while stirring for 2 to 3 minutes.now add in the boiled peas avoiding the water it was cooked in. We will bhuno or roast while stirring in the kadhai for 3 to 4 minutes after all of the water has evaporated.
- Once the Bhunia is done, add in about a ladle of the white pea cooking water to make the dish saucy.add in some Bhaja masala and sugar to balance the dish and finish with aromatic ghee. Mix to stir, check the consistency and transfer into a plate.to garnish add in a tablespoon of imli water. top the dish up with chopped onions, green chilli, coriander, Sev. add a slice of lemon and serve.
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