KADALE KAALU USLI

 KADALE KAALU USLI

During the festival of Navaratri, we make a variety of dishes using legumes such as "uslis" and "sundals", typically without onion and garlic. These are offered as naivedyam and later served as a light snack. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for some of these, like:- 

• Hesaru Kaalu Usli
• Karamani Sundal
• Verkadalai (Peanut) Sundal

Today's snack is called Kadale Kaalu Usli and gets its name from Kadale Kaalu being the Kannada words for Black Chickpeas. These are called Kala Chana in Hindi. This can also be made using Kabuli Chana.

This easy to make snack is commonly made in my home State of Karnataka during the Navaratri Festival.

Tip : Whenever I make this dish, I keep the excess water from the cooked kadale kaalu and use this to prepare saaru later. 

Ingredients:-

• Kadale Kaalu (Black Chickpeas/Chana ), 1 cup
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Hing ( Asafoetida) Powder, 1/4 tsp  
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp 
• Byadgi Red Chillies, broken into halves, 1
• Curry Leaves, 6-8
• Lemon Juice, juice of half a lemon
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tbsp

For Dry Grinding: -

• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/2 cup
• Ginger, roughly chopped, 1/2 " piece
• Green Chillies, 2
• Coriander Leaves, a fistful 

Method:-

Wash and soak the Kadale Kaalu in adequate water for about 8-10 hours or overnight

Discard this water the next morning  

Pressure cook the Kadale Kaalu - adding enough fresh water to immerse it - for about 4-5 whistles,  till it gets cooked

Once the cooker cools, remove the cooked Kadale Kaalu and drain away the excess water (retaining a little- for use in next steps) 

In a small mixer jar, dry grind together the fresh coconut gratings, green chillies, chopped ginger and coriander leaves.  Keep aside

In a thick bottomed kadhai, heat 1 tbsp of oil and when it gets hot on medium heat add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the asafoetida, turmeric powder,  broken red chilli and curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds

To this add the cooked Kadale Kaalu ( along with the retained water ), the coconut-ginger-chilli etc mixture prepared earlier, salt to taste and mix well 

Cook on medium heat till the excess water evaporates and the masala gets well blended with the Kadale Kaalu

Switch off the gas and squeeze the lime juice and mix once again 

Transfer to serving bowl 

Serve Kadale Kaalu Usli