Dum Monji

Dum monji is a dish prepared with kohlrabies stem along with Kashmiri spices.  Mostly prepared on festivals and fasts like Ashtami. You can prepare on normal days also if you have good quality of monji at home.



Ingredients

1. 1 kg monji and a few tender leaves of haakh (kohlrabies stems).
2. 2 table spoons mirch powder (red chilly powder).
3. 2 table spoons saunf powder (fennel powder).
4. 2 crushed moti elaichi (black cardamom).
5. 1/4 tea spoon hing (asafoetida).
6. 10 gm wari (spice cake).
7. 1 table spoon salt or to taste.
8. Mustard oil to fry and cook.

Method

1. Peel off the monji and cut it into round slices about 1/2 inch thick, wash them and keep aside for sometime to drain off the water.
2. Heat ample oil in a deep frying pan and start frying monji slices (5-6 slices at a time) till they turn dark brown.
3. Drain off the excess oil from the pan and turn the stove to low flame.
4. Now put mirch powder in oil along with 1/4 cup water and stir continuously so that the mirch will not burn.
5. As soon as the water evaporates, put hing and monji slices along with 1/4 cup water and mix the contents evenly for 1-2 minutes and put in a pressure cooker.
6. Add 1 glass of water, saunf, salt and moti elaichi and let it boil.
7. Cover it with lid and cook it up to two whistles or till tender (depends on the quality of monji).
8. Open the lid and add wari masala and cook on low flame for another two minutes.
9. Dum monji is ready to serve with rice.