Dahi Usal

Usal Paav is a special breakfast item in Mumbai..Maharashtra to be specific. Some of the Udupi joints serve this and tastes special only when some expert chefs prepare it. One such yummy tasting 'Watana Usal' was available in my college canteen, garnished with farsaan,coriander leaves, chopped onions and a half of lemon, served with two big paav! Then that addition of Farsaan to Usal gave the dish a new name, 'Misal'!! It was simply out of this world!

We friends used to have it every alternate day after all our lectures were over. At times the taste would tempt me into having a second plate too!! All it costed a decade ago was Rs. 5/plate!

Moong usal was new to me, as at my place 'Matki' usal was made on certain weekends.
Shilpa of AR posted this recipe, tempting me enough to make it that evening itself! The result was awesome!! Though I did not have farsaan or sev (as Shilpa has used) , I went ahead and made the Usal, and garnished it with yoghurt, and new thing to me in usal was adding the chaat masala which I love a lot and enjoyed this combo with my family!
Shilpa's original recipe is here. Thanks a lot Shilpa.

Ingredients :

To make Curry/ Usal-
2 cups sprouted green moong
1 cup boiled potato
1 chopped tomato medium sized
1 chopped onion medium size
1/2 tsp rai (mustard seeds)
1/2 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
2 green chilies (add 3 more if you want it spicy)
1 sprig kadipatta (curry leaves)
1 pinch hing (asafoetida)
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp haldi powder (turmeric)
2 tbsp coriander leaves -chopped finely

Vegetable Oil

Garnishing Ingredients :

1 cup Yoghurt/dahi (plain or bit sweetened)
1/2 tsp chaat masala (Everest)
Sev or Farsaan (personal preference)

1 small onion finely chopped
fresh coriander leaves chopped finely
lemon to squeeze just before eating


Method :
In a kadhai, heat oil, splutter rai, add jeera, green chillies, curry leaves, hing. Fry for a minute or two..add onions, fry till transculent. Mix in the haldi, add the moong and pour 1 cup water mix well and cover the lid till its cooked well. Stir in between. Takes 7-8 minutes. Open the lid, add boiled potatoes, coriander,cumin and chilli powders and salt, stir in well, add the chopped coriander and let it come to one boil on a medium flame. Add more water if needed.
Usal is ready.

Serving : In a plate serve the usal, layer it with the farsaan, then chopped onions and lastly coriander leaves. Add dahi just before eating and sprinkle with some chaat masaala..if some sourness is needed, squeeze few lemon juice drops. Eat this healthy snack as is or with Paav.


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