Olive tenga (Assamese sour curry) with lentil dumplings

Recipes-Olives from spain
INGREDIENTS
  • ½ cup green OLIVES FROM SPAIN
  • ¼ cup masoor dal (pink lentils)
  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • ½ tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1pc lemon
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 pc Green chilli
  • 3 tbsp Mustard oil
  • 1 ½ cups Water (hot)
Preparation time:
30 minutes
Serves:
4-6 portions
Level of difficulty:
Easy-Medium
PREPARATION
  • Wash the lentils well, and soak them in 1 cup of water for an hour or until soft
  • Soak the yellow mustard seeds in hot water, set aside for 30 min.
  • Strain the lentils and grind them, add some of the water they were soaked in until it makes a smooth-ish paste. Add salt to taste.
  • Grind the mustard with a bit of the water to a very smooth paste. Keep aside.
  • Heat a non-stick pan. Once heated, add 2 tbsp mustard oil. Let the oil heat to a smoking point.
  • Spoon the lentil batter with a tea spoon to make small individual bor or dumplings. (Alternatively you can choose to deep fry the dumplings, which will yield fluffier dumplings). When the bottom of the dumplings firm up, flip over and fry on the other side. Keep the cooked dumplings aside.
  • Heat either the same pan used to fry the dumplings or in a fresh kadhai, add a tbsp of mustard oil.
  • Splutter the fenugreek seeds in the well heated oil, allow it it brown
  • Add 1 tsp of the mustard paste into the oil, strain the rest of the mustard paste into the pan with hot water, add turmeric and salt , mix and add one and a half cups of hot water.
  • Let the curry come to a boil, then add the lentil dumplings. And slit a green chilli into it.
  • Add the olives and squeeze in 2 tbsp of lemon juice.
  • Simmer for 5 minutes then turn off.
  • Serve with steamed rice.