Gujarati mung bhaat- mung bean and rice soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons ghee (or oil)
• 240 g raw mung beans, washed
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 clove
• 1-inch piece cassia bark
• ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
• 2-4 curry leaves
• 1 tablepsoon concentrated tomato puree
• 750 ml hot water
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• Pinch of bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 2 teaspoons green chillies, minced
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Juice of half a lemon
• Around 500ml hot water to bring to a soup consistency
• Chopped coriander to garnish
• 1 onion, sliced into strips
• 2 tablespoons oil or ghee to fry the onions

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Preparation

• Heat the ghee or oil in your pressure cooker. Add the mustard seeds and wait for them to pop.
• Add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, clove and cassia. Saute for a couple of seconds.
• Stir in the tomato puree and cook for a few minutes. Pour in 750ml water, and then add the bicarbonate of soda, garlic, ginger, chillies and turmeric. Bring to the boil.
• Stir in the raw mung beans, put the lid on the pressure cooker and allow to cook on a medium heat for around 10-12 minutes .
• Once the pressure cooker has cooled and the steam has escaped, open the lid. Your mung beans should be fairly dry and completely cooked. If not, add some more water and continue to cook until tender.
• Add around 500ml hot water to bring it back up to soup consistency, salt, sugar and lemon juice.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning according to your taste. Boil for a further 5 minutes, adding more water depending on the consistency you desire.
• Mix the soup into some cooked basmati rice. Heat 2 tablespoons ghee or oil in a pan and sauté your onions on a medium heat until golden brown.
• Whilst it's still very hot, spoon it over the top of your rice and mung bean soup. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve.