Mung Wadi or Mungaudi – Sun-dried Lentil Drops



mung wadi/mungaudi/moongodi/lentil drops

Can you tell I am making the best use of this unusual and unbearable summer? I am keeping myself busy.. not making gum drops, cough drops, licorice drops, but lentils drops; hard, tough, sun-dried ones.



mung wadi/mungaudi/moongodi/lentil drops


Mung Wadis are tiny little drops of sun-dried lentil paste. And I have plenty of sun this summer.Β  Before I move further ahead, let me mention here that these sun-dried Wadis are NOT edible without cooking. Cooked in a sauce, these dry brittle drops soak up the flavor and the sauce and becomes spongy and tender. I will post the recipe of these being cooked in a curry sometimes later.

Mung Wadis are very popular in India and are cooked in a curry by itself, with potatoes or with any other vegetables. The lentil and the spices used might differ from one region to another. The Punjabi Wadis are extremely spicy and are usually made with urad dal and are whitish in color. Mung wadis (made with yellow mung) are kind of common where ever wadis are consumed have a more yellowish tinge like these ones.


mung dal/yellow lentils/indian lentil/husked yellow mung

Mung Dal or the Yellow Lentils


In Bengal, where my home is, wadis/or boris (as they are called) are generally cooked in a curry, used as crispy garnish over some dried vegetable dish and are also used as a basic fried side served with Dal and rice. The wadis are thus made with either yellow mung or urad dal/lentils depending on what kind of use they are going to be put into. If the wadis are going to be consumed just fried, white poppy seeds are added for extra crunch to a urad dal paste.

As I get older, I feel that the strings of the past pulls me closer to my home. The little incidents and the times I spent in my childhood which I never thought I would remember suddenly spring and drench me with a strange longing to go back in time. That is what happened when I decided to make these wadis. As I was staring out at the parched thirsty yard, I remembered some afternoons when I sat and watched the mung wadis being made by my grandma, great grandma or may be the elderly neighbor. The large brass plates used to be covered with pure white fine cotton cloth and a surreal pattern of the wadis quickly filled up the empty space while the nimble fingers deftly worked dropping the paste in a little mound on the cloth.


bori/bari/wadi/mungwadi drying in the sun


The shape almost looked like a tear drop, for the tip of the mound would be pulled quickly in a little curl before another one was dropped just by its side, making them look like a series Hershey’s Kisses. Hershey’s was unknown to me then, but the shape and the pattern ofΒ  the wadis fascinated me.


mung wadi - making mungwadi from scratch/sun-dried food


My fingers are not as nimble and experienced; this is the first time ever I actually ventured out making these. Since these are readily available in India and in Indian grocery stores,Β  there are only a few old fashioned people left still making their own. Mine were irregularly shaped and a few that got close to the Hershey’s Kisses; but otherwise they were about perfect – in taste and flavor.

These tiny drops are traditionally sun-dried and are usually available from the “locally made” group of sellers. But if you do not have enough sun, Sharmila suggests baking them in the oven!


mung wadi- moon wadi recipe/ home made moongwadi



Mung Wadi or Mungaudi – Sun-dried Lentil Drops


Ingredients:

  1. 2 cups yellow Moong/Mung dal/lentils
  2. 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  3. a generous pinch of Hing/Asafoetida
  4. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  5. 3-4 red dry chili pepper
  6. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (Optional) – the color of the wadi will be paler yellow without the turmeric

Note: Any kind or combination of spices or herbs maybe used to make the wadis.




Preparation:

Wash the yellow lentils till the water runs clear. Soak them overnight.

Grind them with least amount of water (the ground consistency should be paste like, almost like Hummus; no water should run and when spooned out on a plate, the paste should be sitting at that spot without flowing), and all the other ingredients. Whip the paste to air it. I use my hand (fingers together) to whip it as I used to see my grandmas do it.

Take a big board or tray and place a foil or parchment paper or a very thin cotton cloth over it. Use the tip of a spoon or your fingers to drop tiny bits on the foil/parchment/cloth.

Updated: Or you may make a hole in the ziploc bag and use it to dispense the paste, as suggested by a reader. (see comment by Smita) .

Leave some space between each.

Dry in full sun and heat until they are hard and brittle. Dry them consecutively for 3-4 days. It must be at least 85-90 degree F outside.

Store in dry airtight containers. They will keep for many months, until ready to be cooked.



mung wadi/moongaudi recipe/indian lentil drops


On its way to WHB#299, hosted by Susan of the Well Seasoned Cook.




Related Posts:

Sun Dried Potato Chips

Dhoka-Fried Lentil Cakes

Khandvi – Savory Layered and Nut Stuffed Chickpea Swirls



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32 comments to Mung Wadi or Mungaudi – Sun-dried Lentil Drops

  • What an unusual recipe and treat! Really unknown to me, but I’m ready to try those drops.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  • woww.. me too thought of making this… yours looks awesome!!

  • This is Arvind’s favorite.. I don’t like it much and don’t even know how to cook with these. You are definitely utilizing the sunny summer appropriately ! This also reminds me of another curry .. ‘aalo potoler jhol bora diye’ isn’t it the same vada they use ?

  • We eat Indian food at home and I must say, I’ve never heard or eaten anything like. I’d say yours look like Hershey’s kisses too. I’m sure you’ve got perfectly nimble hands πŸ™‚ Besides as I tell my husband when somehtign goes wrong- ‘in your stomach, it all ends up as mash anyways right?!’

  • They have come out very well, and that is really good use of heat. I am out of my home made ones too and I may make some over this weekend πŸ™‚

  • I love love wadis but i don’t know why i don’t end up cooking much with it. I generally get my sock from mom but now that i see this I want to make it myself as well! Great photos Soma!

  • Soma, these are fav. kind of vadis in my kitchen, though I came to know about these only after my marriage. Looking at the recipe now I’m having itch in my hands to make it from the scratch…..will check sharmila’s method also for baking as I’m not sure how much more hot weather we gonna get…nice clicks, i love the one with varis drying on big rack for some reason they remind me of coconut biscuits(kind of macaroons) we used to eat back in India, far look is very much similar….

  • Lovely beauties…exotic one Soma..home made is the best and ur shots makes me speechless πŸ™‚

  • Turmeric … I don’t add it so mine are so pale. Kotto bori! Ek bochor chole jaabe tomar! Thanks for the mention … ever since I’ve started baking them, making them has been simpler. πŸ™‚

  • Beautiful photographs and great healthy snack recipe. Thanks for sharing.

  • Great photos and I am curious about this healthy snack. A must try soon, thanks for sharing πŸ™‚

  • I am seeing this one for the first time Soma..Seems a great idea.The clicks are lovely.

  • Soma, so beautiful post, tumi eto time pao ki kare…..really best use of Sun…I remember, always I used to help mom making bari with her,loved to do so much, so awesome clicks as usual

  • This post can be a very exclusive piece of information to pass on to our kids who are moving away from traditional processing of food and are seeing their moms buying things packet-ed due to time/will and enthusiasm constrains!
    Thanks!

  • Beautiful presentation of Mung wadi. We call it Mungodis. Mom would often make them during our stay in North. I love them πŸ™‚ Pretty stuffs resembling Hershey kisses πŸ™‚

  • I have never had them sounds really something needs real effort to make.

  • Smita

    My mom makes them in thin cylindrical shape for uniform drying. She can do it by hand, but if I am helping her, I cut the tip of a ziplock bag and use that to lay the mung wadi (we call it badi). My mom uses fresh red chili pepper. It gives the badi a beautiful yellow-red color. The way I love them is – Crush the badi in the food processor. Roast it in a tbspn of oil. Add turmeric, chillipowder and salt. Add water. Let it cook it for a while. Then add dry-unroasted papad. Let it cook for couple of minutes. Instant badi-papad saag! Luv!

    Thanks a bunch Smita! Really appreciate the info. i will update the post with your tips (with due credit). The fresh chili sounds really wonderful. Since the usual wadis come out pale, I have used turmeric here, although it is not the traditional thing to do. And thanks for the recipe. got to try it out! Sounds like your mom is a great cook!

  • Sharmilar bake ta ebar amay kortei hobe. Sun ar pabo na. Khub sundor hoyeche

  • That looks like a really interesting dish to make and funny enough I know where I can find mung beans here… I guessing that would be the same thing (is it) Love the look of these lentil drops!

  • Very nice! I always thought it was harder and more daunting to make these. They remind me of the Nutrela curries my mum used to make. πŸ™‚

  • oooh.. my husbands mom makes some amazing curries with wadis.. i never had these until i got married:)
    its all cloudy here.. so i think i will have to order some from you!:)) lovely pictures!!

  • Hi!
    I just wanted to let you know that I have tagged you…
    Feel free to answer the questions, or not! ;-P
    Cheers,
    Rosa

    http://rosas-yummy-yums.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-7-links-looking-back-at-past.html

  • I have never heard of these, or seen them in India! But they look delicious! I am all about finger foods and these seem right up my alley. Thanks for sharing Soma!

  • Oh dear! Your blog is bringing back so many memories!
    My dida used to make them when she was in India and then bring them back to Europe for us. As a child this was one of my very favourite things! I miss her very much!

  • Indian cooking always has such wonderful legume-rich snacks and sweets (yes, I know this is WHB and not MLLA) ; ).
    Looks like I’m going to have to bookmark this, too, Soma. I’ve got boondi, mysore pak, chakli, sev, and now this great recipe! (Of course, I’ve had samosas, pakoras, & papads.)

    Thanks for sharing this easy and tasty WHB, recipe!

  • hi Soma:
    First time here, drawn here as I googled on how to make Moongwadis.. lovely space here. happy to follow you as well !

    cheers
    Kalyani

  • What an interesting food, Soma! Thanks to introducing me to another intriguing part of a beloved cuisine. I’m dying to experience the texture now. I think your shaping looks great, too :).

  • anh

    oh my god Soma! These look so good, and I enjoy reading about them thoroughly!

  • Soma, brilliant photographs! Especially in the dark background! I am not very fond of mung wadis but I know people who love it.:) I have stopped making these sundried things at home for lack of space to dry and am amazed that you are keeping up the traditional practices! Great!

  • Ohh Soma, gr8 effort that you made them at home. My mom does them in kilos in summers. Infact, it is an age old ritual in marwari’s marriages to prepare mangaudis in kilos (as near as 10 kgs at times) to send it to groom’s family. I always get them from MIL or mom.

    Rashmi

  • Wow!!!!! Bor! I have been searching for these in the Bangladeshi market in Sharjah… well, you get everything but Bori & Gondhoraj Lebu!!! Thank you for your current post with the link to this bori post… love the concept of baking them in the oven. Must try:)

  • bina dhir

    There is no information with reference to baking them in the oven, at what temperature and for how long. This information will help.

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