Kala Chana Usal |black chanyachi bhaji |kala chana dry sabji

Today i am posting  a  simple maharashtrian dish :  kala chana usal .


Usal/Oosal (ऊसळ) is Maharashtrian dish made of beans such as Matki, Moong or Hyacinth bean etc. Generally the beans are soaked in water and allowed to sprout. The sprouted beans are stir fried along with onions, spices,coconut and curry leaves in oil. Little water is put to cook the sprouts. It usually has a thick gravy. The use of spices vary according to the sprouts used and according to taste.Usal pav is a quintessential dish from the Maharashtrian cuisine and is prepared in most of the marathi speaking people’s house .this is a particular favourite during festivals.

Consistency of this  chana usal is not too dry and not watery like amti or sambar.You can call it semi dry .

Sprouts are a very essential part of Maharashtrian food.usal can be dry or semidry in consistency

difference between usal pav & misal pav
When the dish is eaten as a side dish  with chapati or steaming rice & dal  - then its called a Usal
But when usal is accompanied with kothimbir , chopped onions, farsaan (sev / bhujia), lemon and then its called a Missal. Both Usal and Missal are served with Pav in most  hotels in thane & mumbai and is a very popular street food.

Traditionally a basic usal is made with sprouted moth beans (matki) and is a spicy curry prepared using sprouted pulses and is served topped with yoghurt and spicy chivda. This spicy curry is served with bread (Pav) and is commonly called as Misal pav.  for optimum taste a true Matkichi Usal has to be spiced with Goda masala or Kala Masala and jaggery adding an extra dimension to it.”

When a curry or dry curry cooked with beans sprouts, it's called "Usal" in Marathi
 


Difference between usal & amti
 
Usal can be dry or semidry in consistency whereas amti is a watery version of the Usal which can be eaten with rice instead of dal .  Tamarind/kokum/tomato is used in amti along with jaggery & kala masala & kandakhobra vatan to give it all three flavours of spicy sweet & sour


Ingredients :
1 cup  soaked and sprouted Black Chana  (kale chane)

1 small onion finely chopped

1-2 Tbsp freshly grated coconut

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp turmeric,

5-8 curry leaves

3 tsp Malavi masala/skp masala/red chilli powder

1 tsp goda masala /garam masala

1 tsp tamarind paste

small piece of Jaggery

Salt per taste


Tempering - 1 Tbsp oil+ 1 tsp each cumin seeds, mustard seeds, 4-5 curry leaves, asafoetida

 

Method:

1.pressure cooker  sprouted chana until soft.
2. Heat oil in a thick bottom vessel. Add  mustard and cumin seeds, hing,curry leaves. Let it sizzle and add  half quantity of Malavi masala/skp masala/red chilli powderand asafoetida.
Now add chopped onion ,ginger garlic paste and roast until golden brown. 





3. Add freshly grated coconut & saute it well in coconut till oil satrts to separate.


 

4Now add cooked chana ,turmeric ,goda masala, /skp masala/red chilli powder and salt. Add  tamarind paste, jaggery and chili powder if necessary.

 

5.add water just above level of chana ,cover with lid & cook for 10 -12 minutes.


 

6.Consistency of this  usal is not too dry and not watery like amti or sambar.You can call it semi dry .But if you like dry usal then cook chana till water is entirely absorbed & usal becomes dry .Personally i like my usal to be with little rassa ( ie gravy)

7. Add chopped kothimbir (coriander leaves) before serving. Enjoy with chapati or rice.