Green Peas Usal / Matar Usal

Green Peas Usal or Matar Usal is a spicy curry from the Maharashtrian and Goan cuisine. This is a brekfast dish served along with Indian bread roll’s called Pav. I learnt preparing Usal from my mother and is one of my favorite breakfast food. I have had Usal Pav in many of the places in Goa but haven’t tasted in Maharashtra.

You can also prepare Misal Pav from Usal and for that you need to first prepare Usal topped with Farsaan, raw chopped onion, chivda and tomato. Do try this recipe and enjoy.

Preparation Time : 20 min

Soak Time            : 8 hours

Cooking Time      : 20 min

Serves                  : 4

Ingredients :

English Name For Ingredients	Hindi Names For Ingredients	Quantity
Green Peas	मटर	1 Cup
Onion	प्याज	1 Medium
Garlic Cloves	लहसुन	3-4
Garam Masala Powder or whole garam masala	गरम मसाला	1 tbsp
Bay Leaf	तेज पत्ता	1
Oil	तेल	1 tbsp
Salt	नमक	To taste
For the Masala :
Onion	प्याज	1 Large
Garlic Cloves	लहसुन	3-4
Gram Flour	बेसन	1 tbsp
Dry Red Chillies	सूखी लाल मिर्च	10-12
Grated Coconut	किसा हुआ नारियल	1 tbsp
Tamarind Paste	इमली	½ tbsp
Garam Masala Powder	गरम मसाला पाउडर	1 tbsp
For Tempering :
Garlic Cloves	लहसुन	3-4
Oil	तेल	½ tbsp

Preparation :

1. Soak green peas for atleast 8 hours. Wash and drain, boil green peas along with sliced medium size onion and garlic cloves. Take one whistle and then simmer for 2 minutes in cooker, you will get a nicely cooked green peas without much breakage.
2. You need to prepare a fine grounded paste to make Usal. For that heat a skillet in a medium flame and dry roast gram flour for a minute. Keep the dry roasted gram flour in a saperate bowl.
3. In a same skillet drop oil. Add whole garam masala or powder , sliced big size onion and saute for a minute. Add garlic cloves and fry till golden brown.
4. Allow the fried garlic onion to get cool and grind them along with grated coconut, roasted dry red chillies and gram flour, tamarind paste to a fine paste.
5. Place the grounded masala paste in a bowl and retain its water used to wash the blender. Transfer the boiled green peas to a vessel and start further cooking. Add bay leaf, garam masala powder, masala water and salt and take one boil.
6. Add finely grounded paste , saute and take two more boil. You can add more water until you get desired consistency. Meanwhile prepare for tempering  by roasting garlic cloves in few drops of oil. Add the tempered garlic into the Usal and turn off the flame.
7. Serve hot Usal with pav, chopped onion and wih a piece of lime.