Kadale kaalu / black channa usli reminds me of my childhood days. Every month we used to go to Chandramouleshawara temple in Mysore for sankashtahara ganapathi pooja. There in that temple, like most of the temples, after the pooja they used to give the kadalekaalu usli as prasadam along with karigadubu (Kadale kaalu is known to be the favorite of Lord Ganesha). There is always something about the temple prasadams, is it the quantity they give or is it really the taste? Amazes me! Anyway I always loved it. Now my kids love this usal. Usli made with black channa is the one which gives you that temple taste! with right amount of hing and fresh grated coconut, who can say no to it?

Try other usli / palya recipes –

peas usli / Batani usli 

black eyed beans usli

hesaru kaaLu / green gram usli

Ingredients:

• 1 cup black channa kadale kaalu, soaked overnight in 4 cups of water, yields 2 cups( drain the water and keep it covered for a day to sprout
• 1/2 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup fresh/frozen coconut more if you like

For seasoning :

• 3 tsp oil
• 3/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 TBSP chana dal
• 1/2 TBSP urad dal
• 1/4 tsp hing if it is LG or little if it is SSP
• 4 to 5 green chillies

Method:

1. Pressure cook soaked channa with a cup of water, salt and jeera for 4 to 5 whistles on medium high heat.
2. Adding jeera while cooking any beans, helps to reduce the gas caused by the them.
3. Heat the oil in a pan. Once it is hot enough, add hing, mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds pops, add urad and channa dal. Once it turns golden brown add green chillies, fry it until it turns slightly white .
4. Drain the water from cooked channa or chickpeas, add it to the seasoning along with curry leaves and salt. Mix it well and leave it until all the extra water evaporates.
5. Finally, after all the water evaporates, turn off the heat and add cilantro/coriander leaves and fresh coconut. Mix it.
6. That aroma of this usli with that hing and chillies…irresistible …. Enjoy!