Green Pulse Curry

Ingredients

• 1 bunch the said leaves (The original text refers to leaves mentioned in a preceding recipe; use the leafy greens available in context, such as spinach or another curry leaf green.)
• 2 tablespoons ghee (Clarified butter used for frying; available at most supermarkets or Indian grocery stores.)
• 0.125 seer (approximately 120 g or ½ cup) green pulse (One eighth of a seer. A seer is a historical South Asian unit roughly equal to 1 kg, so one eighth is approximately 120 g. Green pulse refers to whole green gram (mung beans) or similar green lentils.)
• 1 seer (approximately 1 kg or about 4 large bunches) fenugreek leaves (Fresh fenugreek leaves (methi). One seer is approximately 1 kg. The leaves are boiled and their juice is extracted. If fresh fenugreek is unavailable, use the largest bunch available and scale accordingly.)
• 1 to taste salt (Added while boiling the fenugreek leaves.)
• 1 to taste rice powder (Fine rice flour or ground raw rice used as a thickener. Add a small amount at a time until the curry reaches your desired consistency.)
• 2 tablespoons black pulse (Black gram (urad dal), whole or split. Used as a fried garnish/tempering ingredient.)
• 4 whole dried red chillies (Dried whole red chillies, fried as a tempering. Adjust quantity to your preferred heat level.)

Instructions

1. 1Wash the said leaves thoroughly under cold running water to remove any dirt. Place them in a medium saucepan and cover with enough water to submerge them. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and boil the leaves until they are fully softened and tender, about 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Do not discard the water yet.
2. 2Heat the ghee in a large, wide pan or kadai over medium heat. Once the ghee is melted and shimmering, drain the boiled leaves and add them to the pan. Stir and fry the leaves in the ghee for about 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are lightly coated in ghee and any excess moisture has evaporated. Keep the heat at medium to avoid burning the ghee. Set aside in the pan.
3. 3While the leaves are being fried (or ahead of time), rinse the green pulse (approximately 120 g mung beans or green lentils) in cold water. Place them in a separate saucepan with enough water to cover by about 5 cm. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the pulses are fully tender and soft when pressed between your fingers. Drain and set aside.
4. 4Add the drained, boiled green pulse to the pan containing the ghee-fried leaves. Stir gently to combine, making sure the pulse is evenly mixed with the leaves. Keep the pan on low heat to keep the mixture warm while you prepare the fenugreek leaves.
5. 5Wash the fenugreek leaves thoroughly. Place them in a large saucepan and cover with water. Add salt to taste (start with about 1 teaspoon and adjust later). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook the fenugreek leaves for about 8–10 minutes until they are very soft and tender.
6. 6Once the fenugreek leaves are cooked and slightly cooled, transfer them to a clean muslin cloth, cheesecloth, or a fine-mesh strainer placed over a bowl. Squeeze or press the leaves firmly to extract as much liquid (juice) as possible. Reserve the extracted juice in the bowl and discard or set aside the spent leaves. This juice is the flavouring liquid for the curry.
7. 7Pour the extracted fenugreek leaf juice into the pan with the ghee-fried leaves and boiled green pulse. Stir well to combine all the ingredients into a unified curry base. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring gently, until the mixture is well combined and warmed through.
8. 8Sprinkle a small amount of rice powder (rice flour) into the curry, stirring constantly as you add it. Add it gradually — a teaspoon at a time — and stir well after each addition. The rice powder will thicken the curry slightly. Continue stirring over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes until the powder is fully incorporated and there are no lumps. Add more if you prefer a thicker consistency.
9. 9In a small separate pan, heat a tiny drizzle of ghee (or use the residue left in the pan) over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the black pulse (urad dal) and the whole dried red chillies. Stir and fry for about 1–2 minutes, watching carefully, until the black pulse turns golden and the red chillies darken slightly and become fragrant. Be careful not to burn them — they can go from golden to burnt very quickly. Remove from heat immediately.
10. 10Immediately pour the fried black pulse and red chillies over the curry in the main pan. Stir briefly to distribute them throughout the dish. Serve the curry hot, straight from the pan.