Ingredients

• 1 cup Vatana(Dry white peas)
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 Tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 pinch Hing (Asafoetida)
• 10 Curry leaves
• 2 Green chillies, chopped (see recipe notes below for kid friendly )
• 2 tbsp Tamarind paste
• 1 tsp Chili powder (see recipe notes below for kid friendly )
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala

Instructions

• 1 Soak dry white peas overnight. Pressure cook them with sufficient water and 2 tsp salt, at one whistle only.
  
• 2 In a vessel, add 2 tbsp oil, add mustard seeds, and allow to splutter. Then add curry leaves and hing.
  
• 3 Next, add and fry onions and garlic till soft and translucent.
  
• 4 Add tomatoes and tamarind paste. Cook this mixture for 10 mins on low flame.
  
• 5 Add the chilly powder and garam masala.
  
• 6 Mix in the boiled peas along with green chillies and turmeric powder.
  
• 7 Add a little water and cook for another 10 mins. Serve hot with pao or rice. (See Recipe notes for pao recipe)
  

Recipe Notes

1. If you are not soaking the peas overnight, soak them for at least 6 hours.
2. Make sure you pressure cook the peas for just one whistle else the peas will get over cooked and mashed.
3. To make the usal spicier, increase the amount of chili powder.
4. Click here for Goan Pao Recipe.
5. For kids, add less amount or no chili powder to the recipe and  can avoid green chilies.