Black Chana Usal

 

Black Chana Usal 

 काळ्या चण्याची उसळ

Cooked, tested & tasted by Sandhya Ekbote

Photo credit : Sandhya Ekbote

Course: Savory entrée

Serving size: Makes two servings each for a family of four

Time: 

• Soak over night. 
• Pressure cooking can take about an hour.
• Final cooking can take about 20-30 minutes.

List of ingredients: 

• 3 vatis black chana soaked over night

• 1 small onion (about 1.5 inches in diameter) ground/ grated

• Ginger and garlic paste 

• Hing (asafetida), haldi (turmeric), red chilly powder, mohri (mustard seeds)

• Amchur (dry mango powder) – ½ tsp.

• Gul (Jaggery) – enough to balance the kala masala

• Kala masala (made with Aai's recipe) – about 2 tsp.

• Jeera powder (cumin powder) – about 1 tsp.

• Salt to taste 

• Shredded wet coconut – 2 Tbs.

• Finely chopped green chilies – 3 to 4

• Dhaniya (coriander) finely chopped and shredded coconut for garnishing

Procedure:

1. Pressure cook the chanas with enough water.

2. Once cooked separate the brown water and keep it aside. Do not throw it away.

3. Turn on the gas and keep a large sized vessel on it.  

4. Add oil and when it is hot add mohri seeds to it. 

5. When they crackle add mirchis and stir.

6. After a few minutes add the ginger and garlic paste. Stir well and let it change color slightly.

7. Then add hing, halad, red chilly powder and the chanas. Stir well for about 5 to 10 minutes. 

8. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir for five more minutes.

9. Add the brown chana water and mix well. Let it come to a boil.

10. Now taste it. If any masala is less then add more. 

11. Garnish with dhaniya and shredded coconut. Serve hot.

Tip

This is a very hearty dish that is rich in protein. Make enough so that once it can be eaten as usal in a meal and then the left-overs can be eaten as misal i.e. as a snack topped with onions, shev, tomato and dhaniya. Both ways are super hits!

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