Kirlaile Mooga Usli ( Seasoned Sprouted Mung Bean)

Kirlaile Mooga Usli is a healthy breakfast. It is rich in protein and very easy to make. In Konkani, kirlaile moogu means sprouted green gram. 

Ingredients:

• Sprouted Green gram or Moong-  2 cups
• Potato, small- 1 (optional)
• Green chilli- 2-3
• Asafoetida- 2 pinches
• Grated Coconut, Fresh/frozen- 1-2 Tbsp
• Oil- 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves- Few
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Soak the green gram overnight. Then strain the water and put in a container and cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warmer place for another day or two. Green gram sprouts are ready. 

Now transfer the sprouted green gram in a cooker along with chopped potatoes, adding water (just enough to soak them) and salt to taste. Cook this for one whistle (green gram cooks very fast and hence you can turn off the heat before the whistle blows, in order to prevent it from overcooking). Allow it to cool and then strain the excess water, if any.

Then heat oil in a kadai and then add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add chopped green chillies and fry for few seconds. Then add curry leaves and asafetida and stir well. Then add the cooked sported green gram and potato mixture. Mix gently and finally add grated coconut. When everything gets mixed and comes together, turn off the heat (don't over mix the cooked sprouts, as it might get mushy). Kirlaile Mooga Usli is ready!!

Serve it hot. Above measurement serves two people. You can also serve it with Teek Phovu.

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Bread Usli (Bread Upma)

Bread Usli is an easy-to-make tasty snack. I got this recipe from my mother. Bread is always my all time favorite. I can eat it any way and any time of the day. I can eat it plain, roasted or with jam or as upma, sandwich...etc.The list goes on.

Bread Usli is one of my favorite snack as a kid (even now as well:-)). My amma would make this often as a evening snack. I would eat it happily. 

Try making this. Even old bread (lying in your fridge) works well. It is quick and fulfilling. It has little sweetness from onion, crunchiness from the seasoning and the coconut adds a great flavor too.

Ingredients:

• Bread Slices- 9-10 (Slices I used were small)
• Onion, small sized- 1
• Grated Coconut, fresh/frozen- 1-2Tbsp
• Oil- 1-2 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Green chillies- 2-3
• Curry leaves- Few
• Split Black gram/ Urad dal- 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Cut the bread into bite size pieces.

Chop the onion as well (I used both yellow and red onion).

Now start heating a big kadai and add oil. Once its hot, add mustard seeds. After it starts spluttering, add chopped onions and mix well. Sprinkle some salt and fry for a minute. Then add chopped green chilli, curry leaves, urad dal and grated coconut. Fry it until everything turns golden brown.

When everything turns golden brown, add turmeric powder and fry for few seconds and then add bread pieces and mix well so that it gets a coating of yellow color. Sprinkle little salt on top and then leave it for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat. Bread Usli is ready!!

Serve it hot. Above measurement serves two people.

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Pathrade Usli (Seasoned Pathrado)

Pathrade Usli is a recipe to finish off the left over Pathrado. Few days back I had posted a detailed recipe for pathrado. Hence thought of posting the recipe of Usli as well. 

I am not a great fan of Pathrado but I love Pathrade Usli. It tastes very good once it is seasoned. Whenever you make pathrado, don't forget to try this usli. Its worth to give a try.

Ingredients:

• Leftover Pathrado, chopped- 3-4 cups
• Oil (preferably coconut oil)- 2-3 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Split blackgram/ Uraddal- 1 tsp (optional)
• Curry leaves- Few
• Dry Red chilli- 2
• Grated Coconut, fresh/frozen- 2-3 Tbsp
• Salt- If required

Procedure:

We had Leftover Pathrado rolls.

Just chop the Pathrado rolls into bite size pieces. 

Then Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add split black gram and fry for few seconds and then add broken red chilli and curry leaves. Once everything looks fried, add the chopped pathrado and mix well. Add grated coconut and check if salt is required. Allow everything to fry for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Pathrade Usli is ready!!

Serve it hot as a side dish to rice. Above measurement serves three people.

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Chane Usli (Seasoned Chickpeas)

Chane Usli is a simple, protein filled breakfast. This is also known as Chane Upkari. If using the canned chickpeas, then this is one of the quickest option for breakfast. This makes a filling breakfast, as chickpeas are rich in protein. Traditionally this dish is served along with Teek phovu (spicy beaten rice), which I will be posting soon.Try making this and enjoy.

Ingredients:

• Cooked Chana/Chickpeas- 1 1/2 cup (or a can of chickpeas)
• Oil- 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal/Split Black gram- 1 tsp
• Green chilli- 2-3
• Curry leaves- Few
• Asafoetida- 1-2 pinches
• Grated Coconut- 2 Tbsp
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

For cooking Chana (Black or white)- Soak it for 8 hours and then cook it in a pressure cooker with required amount of water and salt, for 3-4 whistles. 
If using canned, then rinse it properly using water.

Now heat oil. Add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add chopped green chillies and curry leaves. Fry for few seconds. Now add urad dal and asafoetida. Fry until urad dal turns light brown.

Then add cooked chickpeas (drain all the water) and grated coconut. Add salt, if required. Mix well.

Continue heating for 3-4 minutes and turn off the heat. Chane Usli is ready!!

Serve it hot. Above measurement serves 1-2 people.

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Idle Usli ( Seasoned Left over Idlis)

Idle Usli is a very quick breakfast. This will be ready within 10 minutes. If you have left over idlis and want to try something different, then this is one such dish. I always prefer idle usli over idlis, especially if it is seasoned using coconut oil. Freshly grated coconut gives a very good taste to this dish.

Ingredients:

• Left over Idlis- 11-12
• Oil (preferably Coconut oil)- 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves- Few
• Dry red chilli- 1
• Green chilli- 2-3 
• Split blackgram/Urad dal- 1 tsp
• Asafoetida- 2 pinches
• Grated coconut, fresh/frozen)- 3-4 Tbsp
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Powder/Crush the left over idlis using hand such that there are no big pieces.

Heat oil. Add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add chopped green chillies, broken red chilli and curry leaves. Fry for few seconds. Now add urad dal and asafoetida. Fry until urad dal turns light brown.

Now add the powdered/crushed idli, along with grated coconut and salt. Mix well. Fry for 4-5 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Idle Usli is ready!!

Serve it hot. Above measurement serves two people.

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Shevai Usli (Seasoned Wheat Noodles)

Shevai Usli is a very healthy, simple dish, which is generally made for breakfast or as a evening snack. Shevai in konkani means noodles. The speciality of this dish is- the noodles used here are sun dried. The noodles are either made from rice/wheat/ragi(finger-millet). Making these noodles demands lot of effort. Some 30-40 years back, people used to make these noodles, dry them in sun and store it for the monsoon season. 

I remember my amma used to make these noodles when I was a kid. She used to soak wheat for many hours and then grind it, to extract the milk of wheat and keep it over night. Next day, the thick milk settled at the bottom is heated (top water is discarded) until it forms a solid mass. Then it is made into small balls and noodles were made using a noodles maker. These noodles are then sun dried for 3-4 days and stored. Too much of work. People were hard working. Now slowly this tradition is vanishing. Nowadays people get this noodles from stores. Luckily I got it from my Mother-in-law. She makes it every Summer. Lucky me:-)
This usli can be made within 5-7 minutes (excluding the soaking period). A quick, simple, healthy and filling food. What more can you expect? Enjoy making this dish.

Ingredients:

• Sun dried wheat/rice/ragi noodles- 10-15 small pieces
• Oil- 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Green chilli- 1-2
• Curry leaves- few
• Split black gram/Urad dal- 1 tsp
• Grated coconut, fresh/frozen- 1 Tbsp
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Take the wheat noodles in a bowl and soak it in water till it becomes soft.

After 30 minutes, it will look like this.

Then strain the excess water completely.

Now heat oil. Add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add curry leaves and chopped green chillies. Fry for few seconds and then add urad dal. Fry until it turns light brown.

Now add the noodles, grated coconut and salt. Mix well. Keep mixing for 4-5 minutes. Turn off the heat.

 Shevai Usli is ready!!

Serve it hot. Above measurement serves 1-2 people.
This can also be served as an evening snack for children.

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