Shenga usli recipe - Peanut usli - Ground nut usli

Shenga usli recipe - Shenga usli is one of the most easiest evening tea-time snack that you can make with few ingredients. It has a delicate aroma of curry leaves interspersed with the smoky flavor of red chillies. Soak and boil the peanuts and then temper with your favorite ingredients, mix the coconut, garnish with cilantro and healthy usli gets ready within few minutes. 

I avoid onions in the usli when I serve it as fasting snack with tea or coffee. Otherwise tempering with onon also adds an extra flavor to the snack. Peanut has several names such as shenga, shengdana, moongfali, bhuimoog, bhunchane, kadlekai, earth nuts, monkey nuts, groundnuts etc. It contains protein which maintains and repairs body tissues.

It also provides energy to the body. Eating handful of groundnuts with a cup of milk is very beneficial for growing children.This is indeed a perfect recipe for you if you are looking for a healthy evening snacks or fasting snack recipe.This is similar to the sundal of Andhra Pradesh as I added coconut and tempered with red chillies, curry leaves and mustard seeds. 

Peanut is one such ingredient that I never forget to buy and store in my kitchen. Besides usli, I also make chutney powder and danyachi koot which is always handy. This is a very simple and flexible recipe to try with your own version. Sometimes for a change, I just prepare the usli and add any one of my favourite dish such as kande pohe, susla  upma, etc. to serve my family.

Shenga Usli Recipe - Peanut Usli Recipe - Ground Nut Usli

Prep time : 10 mins 
Cook time : 30 mins       
Total time : 40 mins
Recipe type : Breakfast
Cuisine : South Indian
Yield : serves 2
Author : Vidya Chandrahas

Ingredients 

• 1 heaped cup of peanuts / shenga
• 4 tbsp grated fresh coconut
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)
• 1/4 tsp salt or as required

For the tempering

• 2 dry red chillies, broken
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds (optional)
• 1 tbsp oil or as required

Method

1. Hand-pick the peanuts. Wash and soak with sufficient water for 6 hours. 
2. Drain the water and add 2 cups of fresh water. Cook the peanuts in a pressure cooker till 3 whistles. 
3. When the pressure releases, remove the container from the cooker, drain excess water and set aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they start sputtering add the red chillies and curry leaves. Fry till the red chillies turn light brown and aromatic. 
5. Add the peanuts and salt to it. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the coconut and mix well. 
6. Add the chopped cilantro and mix well. Turn off the flame and serve the shenga usli hot.

Note

1. You can make similar type of usli with kabuli chana or white chickpea, brown chickpea, green gram or moong, dried green peas or vatana and split green grams or moong dal.
2. Though the recipe seems very simple, it is worth a try as it is very nutritious.
3. As a variation you can also mix the groundnut, kabuli chana,  green gram and peas together to make a usli with different taste and combination

Shenga usli - step by step pictures

1.  Hand-pick the peanuts. Wash and soak with sufficient water for 6 hours.

2.  Drain water and add 2 cups of fresh water. Cook the peanuts in a pressure cooker till 3 whistles. When the pressure releases, remove the container from the cooker, drain excess water.

3.  Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they start sputtering add the red chillies and curry leaves. Fry till the red chillies turn light brown and aromatic.

4.  Add the peanuts and salt to it. Saute for 2 minutes.

5.  Add the grated fresh coconut.

6.  Saute for 2 minutes.

7.  Add the chopped cilantro and mix well.

8.  Turn off the flame.

9.  Serve the shenga usli hot.