Hesarukalu usli recipe - Muga usli - Green gram sundal

Hesarukalu usli or muga usli - Usli is a Konkan cuisine prepared with boiled pulses, lentils, fresh coconut and seasoned with chillies. Seasoning with dry red chillies adds some chilli flavor to the dish. Usli is also known as sundal. It is a naivedya and fasting dish usually prepared during Navratri.

When I was a kid,  my mother was making uslis with different legumes with different versions. Sometimes, when we were not eating it for fasting, she was making it with onion, ginger and garlic. But my favourite version is sundal type usli which does not add onion, ginger or garlic.

Even now I make and prefer uslis without onion and garlic. Besides green grams, dry green peas or batani, fresh green peas or matar, brown chickpea, kabuli chana, black eyed beans or lobia, moong dal or green gram dal and ground nuts can also be used to make such uslis.

These protein packed nutritious uslis are usually prepared for breakfast in Karnataka. Green gram or moong is one of the most healthiest legume and is packed with proteins, vitamin C, B and fiber. It is best for weight loss hence using green moong in diet is beneficial for health. Protein is an essential nutrient for the muscle growth.  Here is how to make green gram usli with easy to follow instructions.

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Hesaru bele usli recipe - Muga dali usli - Green gram dal sundal

Hesaru bele usli or green gram dal sundal - The word  usli or sundal brings the thought of  South Indian breakfast, in the mind of many people.  Yes, its true. Green gram dal usli is an authentic dish of  South Karnataka. This usli is also known as sundal in Andhra Pradesh. They prepare it for navratri to offer God as Naivedyam. 

Besides green gram dal, the legumes such as dry white or green peas, brown chick peas or chana and green gram or moong are also used to make such usli for breakfast. I make this usli once in a week. This dish is a protein provider and energy booster as they contain proteins and other nutrients. These uslis are extremely good for health with average taste. 

If one can think about the qualities of good food and develop the tendency of good eating habit, they may develop interest in eating such authentic, healthy dish. This is a healthy dish with low fat. So health conscious people can prepare and eat it. 

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Methi sukke recipe - Menthe soppina upkari - Fenugreek leaves subzi

Methi sukke or Menthe soppina upkari or Fenugreek leaves subzi recipe- It is a dry subzi that goes well with roti, chapathi, rice with curry and curd rice. Fenugreek leaves are used to make thepla, curry and kadhi in Maharashtrian homes.

Fenugreek leaves in combination with green peas and potato makes a delicious side dish popularly known as methi matar malai and aloo methi sukha bhaaji. Fenugreek leaves are healthy leafy vegetable which can be consumed in any season. The high level of iron in the fenugreek leaves supply the iron requirement and helps to increase the red blood cells and hemoglobin.

I made this as side dish for chapathi, rice and daali varan. The combination of methi leaves, fresh coconut and jaggery is unique and flavourful. This subzi becomes tasty when it is cooked in the juice of fenugreek leaves itself and water is not added.

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