Monday, September 12, 2011

Kala Chana Usli

Growing up whenever I used to go to temple for special pujas I used to look forward for prasad that they would give. I grew up in Bangalore and for Ganesh Chaturthi, they would usually have chana usli or puliyogare. Both were yummy treats to end the fasting. :o)

My mom would often make kala chana usli at home too. I frequently make this at home and more so often to take it to temple for Shivaji’s puja, since this recipe doesn’t use onion or garlic. I try and make a small dish before I head out temple, so I can offer it to God & also other devotees would in turn relish on the Prasad.
Kala chana usli is very quick to make. It can be used as a dry side dish with lunch.
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 5 min. | Cooking Time: 20 min.
Ingredients:
·         Kala Chana – 2 cups
·         Oil – 1 tbsp.
·         Mustard seeds – 1 tsp.
·         Hing / Asafetida – a pinch
·         Jeera seeds – 1 tbsp.
·         Green Chilies – 3 finely chopped
·         Kadipatta – About 10 leaves
·         Coconut – 2 tbsp.
·         Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp. to garnish
·         Lime juice – 1 tbsp.
·         Salt to taste


Method of Preparation:
~ Wash chana and drain the water. Keep it soaked for half an hour (if possible. Otherwise just let it cook little longer)
~ In a pressure cooker add the chana with water 1 inch above it. Add some salt. Pressure cook high (with whistle on) for about 15 minutes or for 3 whistles. Chana shouldn’t be too soft like we would do for chole. It needs to be just enough cooked.
~ Let it cool and once you are able to handle the cooker, drain the excess water using a colander.
~ In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once it starts to crackle, add hing, jeera, green chilies and kadipatta. Give it a mix and add Kala Chana.
~ Add very little salt (since we already added while cooking chana), Lime juice and coconut.
~ Switch off the heat and garnish with coriander leaves.


This dish just happens to be so versatile that I am sending them to all the below events. Check them out.
Cathy's MLLA event vis Susan's lineup.

Nayna's Flavours of South event.

Sreevalli's My Favorite Dish event


Kalyani's Vrat Ka Khana event


9 comments:

  1. I love love kala chana n this was one of fav snack growing up ~ thanks for the reminder will be making it soon :)
    USMasala

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  2. :)Sometimes we forget to make the everyday stuff right? This is one of my fav from childhood

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  3. one of my fav !! thanks for linkin it Sumee ! truly brought back my memories of Bangalore too :-)

    cheers
    Kalyani

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  4. Looks tempting!
    Hey I have tagged you for playing 7 Links challenge Game. Pls check it out.
    Cheers

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  5. Hey this is my fav from my childhood....luv this....urs look absolute perfect....

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  6. We use to make this as prasadam to saibaba.. Thanks for sharing to my event :)

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  7. Its really a tasty and yummy dish. I dont think there is a need to drain out the excess water while preparing chana usli. This water can very well be used for making soup or chana saar after giving tadka/zonk and adding salt as per your taste. This saar can be used for drinking and/or during lunch/dinner to mix with rice. It goes very well with rice and any dry vegetable palya.
    Anyway, this is my suggestion. However, thanks for sharing recipe with foodies/readers.

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Thanks for stopping by! I look forward to hearing from you of any suggestions and requests. Feel free to email me @ sumeesculinary@gmail.com

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