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