My MaaIL was a phenomenal self-taught cook and her day started with a 10:00am rush to the market, followed by a few hours cooking in the kitchen, and food on the table by 12:30PM, or sometimes it would be the total opposite she would plan a day ahead and make slow-cooked meals for hours like biryani or khichro, which was a Sunday ritual.  

This is her famous Magiyo, a green whole moong biryani, a touch smoky, a touch Mugal and a touch Gujarati with its hand ground whole green  masala made of ginger, garlic, green chili, cilantro and oil. 

Moong/Mung/Mug/Mag or green gram are Gujarati pantry staple. Husked, whole, split or hulled, it appears during the weekly menu in many forms either sprouted, boiled served with kadhi, curried, blended to make fritters, or as khichdi.

Prefer to have a quick look at how I make it? Have a look at this short video.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole green moong beans – soaked overnight or at least for 2 hours (then pressure cooked or boiled with a 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of turmeric)
• I onion finely chopped 
• 2 small potatoes cut into cubes- fried if possible beforehand
• 2-3 tomatoes crushed/ 1/2 can of crushed tomatoes/passata 
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon whole jeera seeds
• 5-6 whole cloves
• 2 pieces cinnamon sticks
• 1.2  teaspoons black peppercorns
• 4-5 cardamom pods
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 1.5  teaspoons ginger paste
• 1.5  teaspoons garlic paste 
• 2  teaspoons green chilli paste
• 1.5 teaspoons dhana jeera powder (cumin and coriander powder)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• Fresh cilantro chopped for garnish

Instructions:

1. Crush ginger, garlic, green chilies and oil with a Mortar & Pestle or make a paste in a blender to create a green paste or lilo masalo.
   
   
2. In a shallow pan heat oil on medium heat
   
   
3. Add cinnamon, black pepper, and cloves , cardamom and then when you hear the whole spices crackle, add jeera
   
   
4. Add onions sauté until almost golden brown 
   
   
5. Add green paste/ lilo masalo and sauté for a few minutes
   
   
6. Add crushed tomatoes and the rest of the spices cook until you begin to see the oil coming to the surface.   
   
   
7. Add boiled moong and potatoes, cover and cook for a while longer until all the sauce thickens and the moong and potatoes are well mixed in, add fresh cilantro and mix well.
   
   
8. Cook Basmati or Jasmine rice with salt- and a few drops of oil.
   
   
9. In the pot that you have cooked the rice, push the rice to the side to create a well, and add the cooked moong in the middle, cover and give “dum” on low heat.
   
   
10. If using the Instant Pot, cook the moong on the “Lentil” setting for 8 minutes, NPR, and then fill a steaming basket with the cooked rice, nestle it on top of the cooked mung to give “dum” and close the lid and turn on  he “keep warm” mode on for 10-15 minutes.
    
    

Best served with: A side of Kachumber, gajar marcha nu athanu (fresh carrot and chili pickle), AND some rotis.