Seasoned Chickpeas (Chane Usli)

Seasoned Chickpeas (Chane Usli)

Steaming hot, soft, well cooked chickpeas in a spicy, sweet seasoning, with lots of fresh grated coconut! That's served steaming hot in temples of Udupi, Mangalore as prasadam after a pooja. And people line up for this prasad. ;-) You won't see this happening for any other prasad. The fan following this dish has explains how tasty it is. 

It's called chane usli in Konkani. Chano meaning chickpeas in Konkani and usli refers to stir fry. Here's the recipe for you, for one of those days when you crave for that delicious, temple chane usli. 

Chane usli can also be one nutritious and delicious snack. A snack that you'll absolutely love! Chickpeas are full of proteins too, so that's added bonus. Some serve chane usli with seasoned beaten rice (teek phovu) for breakfast too. 

Prepared with black chickpeas or white chickpeas/kabuli chana, chane usli tastes great with generous amounts of coconut oil, grated coconut and a flavourful seasoning.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup black or white chickpeas
  • 1/4 cup of fresh grated coconut
  • 1.5 tablespoons of powdered jaggery
  • 2 green chillies
  • 2 dried red chillies
  • 2 leaflets of curry leaves
  • 1 teaspoon of urad dal
  • 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
  • 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
  • a pinch of asafoetida (optional)
  • Salt to taste

Serves: 2 - 3

Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Preparation Method:

1. Soak chickpeas overnight so that they cook faster.

2. Pressure cook them using enough water, until they are soft and well cooked.

Overnight soaked chickpeas may take 3-4 whistles.

3. Once they are well cooked, drain all the water and keep the chickpeas aside. 

If you have used black chickpeas, then use the stock to make chickpea saaru (chane saaru)

4. Heat up a wok, add in oil, mustard seeds.

5. When they start spluttering, add in urad dal and fry them until they start to brown.

6. Then add in slit green chillies, dried red chilli broken into pieces, curry leaves and fry them for a minute.

7. Then add in a pinch of asafoetida powder, cooked chickpeas, powdered jaggery, fresh grated coconut, a pinch of salt and mix well.

8. Allow them to simmer for 2-3 minutes and saute them once in a while to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the wok.

9. Serve chane usli hot as a snack. Or serve them for breakfast along with seasoned beaten rice (teek phovu). They taste great once they cool down too.

Tags: chickpea sundal, chane usli, chickpeas, Udupi food, Mangalore food, GSB Konkani recipe, vegan, vegetarian recipe, temple prasad, kadale, kadale usal, South Canara Konkani recipe, Konkani cooking, GSB Konkani cuisine, chauthi cooking, ganesh festival, ganesh chaturthi