Microwave Moong Carrot Curry

Category : Curries, Carrot
Time Taken : 15-30 mins


Ingredients: 
1/2 cup - split yellow moong lentil (moong dhal)
5 - large carrots (cut into 1/2 inch pieces) (yielded about 3 cups of cut carrots)
Seasoning
1 - serrano green pepper (or Thai or Indian variety green chillies according to taste) (cut fine)
2 - dry red chillies (broken into small pieces) ( or according to taste)
2 tsp - coconut oil (or any other oil)
1 tsp - mustard seeds
1 tsp - split black gram lentil (udad dhal)
salt to taste
optional garnish
4 tbsp - grated fresh or frozen coconut
handful cilantro (coriander leaves) cut fine

Method

1. Wash the split yellow moong lentils in fresh water and drain
2. Place the drained split yellow moong lentils in a large pot and add double the quantity of water and bring it to a boil. Then lower heat and let the lentils simmer in that water until it is semi cooked. Add more water if required during this process.
3. When the lentils are a little softer add the cut carrots to it and cook both carrots and moong until soft but not mushy. ( I did this process in the microwave this time and it worked out well. I placed the moong lentils along with water in a large glass dish and placed in the microwave and cooked in one minute intervals adding water as required and stirring regularly until the lentils were semi cooked. Then I added carrots to it, sprinkled a little water and cooked in one minute increments until the carrots and moong were both cooked and soft but not mushy)
4. In a small pan heat oil. When hot add mustard seeds to it, when the mustard seeds start to splutter and split black gram lentil and stir a couple of times.
5. When the split black gram lentil starts to turn reddish, add the green chillies and red chillies.
6. When the chillies start to change color slightly, pour the entire oil + mustard seeds + lentils + chillies on the cooked lentils and carrot. Add salt to the curry and mix well.
7. Heat this curry for another minute or two for the flavors to blend (either in the microwave or stove top)
8. Garnish with grated coconut and cilantro and mix well and serve hot along with rice and dhal/ sambar/ rasam or with roti's/ chappathis

Suggested variations
You can use 5-6 curry leaves in the seasoning too, just add it after the green chillies and continue with the rest of the recipe as mentioned
Notes
The reason that salt is added in the end for this recipe is because I have heard that adding salt when cooking lentils impacts the cooking process such that the lentils do not cook fully, so the salt is added after they are completely cooked. This does not impact the taste of the final curry at all.