Gulla - Sprouted Moong Curry

Gulla a type of brinjal from a place called Mattu near Udupi, is a special variety of brinjal. The seeds of this special brinjal has been given from Shree Guru Vadirajaru to people of Mattu. I have written about it in one of my blog page. Here is one more dish which I have tried it with this special Variety of Brinja and is known as Mattina Gulla.

I have used Sprouted Whole Moong, Gulla, and sambar powder which is prepared at home and added mustard , methi/fenugrik seeds seasoning with coconut oil.
Gulla - Sprouted Moong Curry goes well with all the main dishes and you can prepare this curry for festivals or feast. There is no Onion or Garlic in this curry.

Things Needed :

To cook :
Gulla /Udupi Special Brinjal : 2
Sprouted Whole Moong : 1 Small Cup

To Grind :
Coconut : 3 to 4 Tablespoons
Curry Powder : 2 to 3 Teaspoons

To Add :
Tamarind pulp : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Oil : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ground coconut mixture

Seasoning done in Coconut Oil :
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Methi seeds : 3 to 4
Ingh : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and cut gulla /brinjal in to small pieces.

2. Cook sprouted whole moong and keep it aside. Soak a small marble size tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp after 5 minutes.
3. Grate coconut and grind it with curry powder./Huli pudi.

4. Now keep a pan on the fire and put brinjal pieces in it. Add water, little coconut oil and turmeric powder.
5. Cook till the gulla pieces are soft.

6. Add cooked moong and mix it well.

7. Add tamarind pulp and required salt. Mix it nicely.

8. Add ground coconut mixture and mix it. Let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.

9. Shift the curry to a serving dish and add mustard seeds, 2 to 4 methi seeds, ingh, curry leaves seasoning done in coconut oil.

10. Serve as one of the dish during lunch or dinner.

Note :
Soaking brinjal pieces in plain water helps to remove the bitterness in it. Adding oil and turmeric helps the pieces to retain the colour. (It does not turn as black). Home made curry powder adds to the taste. You can use any brand sambar powder instead of home made curry powder. Use of coconut oil is optional.  This is one of the traditional dish of brahmin and I do not use onions or garlic in my curry.
I had some sprouted moong already and cooked with little water.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4.

To get good sprouted moong you need to follow these steps:

Wash and soak whole moong for over night. Take out the water completely and put the moong in a towel /handkerchief and tie it slightly. Keep sprinkling water on the towel. It starts to sprout nicely. You can use this for preparing juice, salad and curries.

Curry Powder or Huli powder./ಹುಳಿ ಪುಡಿ

Dry roast or fry with a teaspoon of oil :
Methi seeds/Fenugrik seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Channa dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander seeds : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Jeera /Cumin Seeds :1/2 Teaspoon
Cinnamon piece : A very small piece.
Dry roast or fry them one by one and dry grind it when it cools down.

Note : Fried mixture will not stay for long. It starts to smell. So better to dry roast and use.

You can also use the whole moong with out soaking or sprouted. Just wash and cook. (Optional). Use of sprouted moong is always healthy.