Chickpea Usali For Navratri

Chickpea usali is a very tasty dish from South India. It is considered as auspicious for festivals and for fasting. Add this to your Navaratri food list.  Chickpea is a legume and is a good replacement for meat as it contains good amount of protein and have long been valued for their fiber content. Chickpeas are still included in the diets of some of the healthiest populations living around the world today, including those eating traditional cuisines.

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup dried white chickpeas
2. 1 tsp black mustard seeds
3. 1 tsp urad dal/spilt skinned black gram
4. a pinch of asafoetida/hing
5. 2 dry red chilies
6. 10-12 curry leaves/kadi patta
7. 2 to 3 tbsp fresh grated coconut
8. salt as required

Preparation:

• Rinse and soak the chickpeas overnight in enough water.
• Next day pressure cook the soaked chickpeas with 1 tsp salt and 3 to 4 cups water till they are cooked till soft. Drain and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard and urad daal. The mustard seeds will crackle and the urad dal will turn slightly brown giving good aroma.
• Add the curry leaves, red chilies and asafoetida, fry for few seconds.
• Add cooked chickpeas and salt. Stir and sauté for 4-5 minutes on a low to medium flame.
• Remove chickpea from the stove and garnish with grated coconut.
• Offer it to Goddess and serve as Prasad.