Green Peas Usli.....North Karnataka style

Hope Everyone had celebrated this Valentine's day in a wonderful way....Love is in the air and so in the blogs too,all the blogs were so so colorful with those lovely special dishes and themes for the valentines day..

Usli is one of those traditional dishes of Karnataka people and is prepared in different ways among different parts of Karnataka.It is also our family favorite and is a perfect delight for spicy and garlic lovers.Actually Usli is made up of tender avarekallu(hyacinth beans) which is available only in season and is also a great curry for avarekallu lovers.Though the Usli made up of fresh and tender avarekallu and tastes the best ,but those beans are available only in season,so we do the usli with fresh green peas which are easily available through out the year in India.In our house Usli is prepared in slightly a different way which I will try posting even that version soon.The version I am posting today is done in the way of northern parts of karnataka which is equally yummy and perfect with chapathy's.Try it out at your place to enjoy our family favorite curry.

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh shelled Green Peas /fresh and tender avarekallu(hyacinth/mochai beans)
2 large onions,chopped
3/4 cup grated fresh coconut
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
7-8 green chillies,slit
1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1 lemon,squeezed
2 sprigs of curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp fresh white butter
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste

To grind:
2 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
1/4 tsp methi/fenugreek seeds

Method:

• Slightly roast jeera and methi seeds until warm,cool it and grind it to a powder.
• Heat butter and oil in a pressure cooker and crackle mustard seeds and add green chillies and fry until they change their color.
• Add curry leaves,ginger and garlic paste and fry well.
• Add chopped onions and fry until they turn translucent.Now add fresh green peas to it and fry well.
• Add ground jeera-methi powder,grated fresh coconut,salt,chopped fresh coriander and fry for a couple of minutes.
• Add 2 spoons of water and pressure cook for 1 whistle.After you open the cooker add freshly squeezed lemon juice to it.

Serve it hot with hot chapathy's/Roti's.

Note:

1. Usli tastes best with fresh and tender avarekallu.So do not miss trying this in avarekallu season.Just replace fresh green peas with those tender avarekallu and follow the same procedure.
2. Usli can also be prepared with the soaked whole green moong/green moong sprouts following the same procedure and is much more a healthier option.
3. Use only fresh green peas instead of frozen one's to enjoy the fresh and tasty Usli.
4. Use fresh white butter in making this curry to get the authentic taste of Usli.Use 2 tbsp fresh butter if you are not calorie conscious,otherwise replace half the quantity with oil.
5. Avoid butter in the recipe for a Vegan version.