Usli (Green gram dal dry curry) is a usual household dish that goes well with rice. You can even have it as such or along with cooked Kerala variety banana (Nendran). It is also a healthy and nutritious dish like other pulse curries I have mentioned in my previous post. To this dish also no onions and garlic has been added and it is less spicy as well. But of course grated coconut has been added as a garnish to the dish.
Ingredients
You need
- ½ cup Green gram dal
- Salt to taste
- Water as required
For seasoning
- 1 tbspn coconut oil
- A small spoon mustard
- A small spoon jeera / cumin seeds
- 2 to 3 green chillies (or as per your spiciness level)
- 2 to 3 red chillies (or as per your spiciness level)
- 1 inch piece ginger cut into small pieces
- 1 sprig curry leaves
Method
Wash and soak the dal for half an hour. Once it has soaked drain away the water and keep aside.
Now take a thick bottom kadai and add coconut oil for seasoning. Add mustard seeds and when they splutter add the jeera/cumin seeds. This is followed by addition of slit green chillies and thinly chopped ginger. Sauté them for a few seconds till the raw flavour goes off. Then add the red chillies cut into two and sauté it for a few seconds till the raw smell goes off. Add the curry leaves. After adding the curry leaves add the soaked dal and add 3/4th cup of water for cooking the dal. Add the required salt and mix uniformly. Close the kadai with a lid allow the dal to cook. In between open and see if the dal is cooked. If the water has evaporated and the dal has not cooked then add and give little boiled water to the dal (Keep some boiled water ready before you start preparing the dish). Allow it to cook. After the dal has cooked garnish with grated coconut. Switch off the flame.
Your Usli (Green gram dal dry curry) is ready to be served.
Serve with rice or cooked Kerala variety banana (Nendran).
Variation in the preparation of Usli
Adding pepper corns
Ingredients
You need
- ½ cup Green gram dal
- Salt to taste
For seasoning
- 1 tbspn coconut oil
- A small spoon mustard
- A small spoon jeera / cumin seeds
- 2 to 3 green chillies (or as per your spiciness level)
- 2 to 3 red chillies (or as per your spiciness level)
- 1 inch piece ginger cut into small pieces
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 5 to 6 crushed pepper corns
The method of preparation of the dish remains the same except that add the crushed pepper corns at the end of seasoning. Once you add the pepper corns immediately add the green gram dal or else chances of pepper corns getting burnt is more. This will result in off flavour to your dish.
Tips
Keep some boiled water ready before you start preparing the dish. In case you need it to add to the dal during cooking. Always do the seasoning on a low flame.
