Boror Tenga with Dhekia Saag

                                         

                     Boror Tenga With Dhekia Saag

                              Lentil dumplings in a Sour Tangy Curry

This dish is an ode to my kids, both of them away from home at the moment. The elder one striking out a new life , working in the big city. The younger one away at college in another country.  They both love this simple homely dish .

 There is something very comforting about a bowl of sour curry and the lentil dumplings, they soak in the flavour and fluffs up with pride, becoming soft and collapsing in the mouth with the first bite. I loved this dish but somehow, it is not been very long since I introduced this dish to the kids. The older one is not overtly fond of fish and  on hot days, I wanted to refrain serving 

meat.

I bought some fiddle head  fern, a lovely local green that Axomiya love eating . So, I decided to cook some Tenga curry with  lentil dumplings.

                                                Fiddle head Fern

   Ingredients:

  A bunch of fiddle head fern

  1 tsp of  fenugreek seed

  1 tsp turmeric

 1 green chilli

 Juice of one lemon

 Salt to taste

1 tbsp rice powder

2 cups water

1 large boiled potato

Dumpling :

1/2 cup Split  Red lentil , soaked for at least an hour.

Method:

Grind the split red lentil with a little water.   Make it into a thick batter consistency . Add salt. Keep aside.

Heat Oil in a wok. Drop a teaspoon full of the batter into the hot oil and fry until golden. Drain on kitchen paper towel. Use up all the batter to make dumplings. 

Clean, pick and wash the fiddle head ferns. I like to use the tender portion,discarding the stem.

Roughly chop.

Heat a teaspoon of oil in a wok, add the fenugreek seeds. Allow it to splutter but take care it does not burn and turn black. Mash the boiled potato and the chopped fiddle head  fern. Add salt and turmeric. stir and cook on high flame for about 7/8 mins. until the greens have wilted well and no longer smell raw.  Cover and cook further for a few minutes more. 

Add the water and bring to a boil. Slit the green chilli and add to the curry.

Mix the rice flour with a tablespoon of water and add to the gravy. This will help the gravy thicken well.

Gently add the dumplings to the gravy. Add the lime juice.

Cover and lower the flame. Let the gravy simmer for another 10mins.

The dumplings will fluff up and become soft.

Turn off heat. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with hot steaming rice.

This is a very traditional dish of Assam, enjoyed on hot summer days.