Ulava Charu

Hi..I want to post one of my favorites..Ulava (Horse gram) Chaaru recipe for you all. Fact is, we love to have Rasam as part of our every day meal. So, I try variety of rasam recipes…This particular ulava chaaru recipe..I remember back then, once had at a wedding feast…but never given it a try, until I had this after many years at my friend's place, Thanks Neelu ! The first time..we tried this recipe at my home…we just fell in love with this..& now, once in a week…this is on our menu.. without a miss :-)

Ulava Charu

Ingredients :

Whole horse gram / ulavalu - 1 cup ( soaked over night or at least 1 to 2 hours before cooking)

Tomato - 1 (diced)

Tamarind juice - 2 table spoons

Garlic cloves - 2

whole black pepper - 1/2 tea spoon

Coriander / dhaniya powder - 1 table spoon

Dry red chili - 2 to 3

Curry Leaves - 2 to 3

Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1/2 tea spoon

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tea spoon

Oil - 1 table spoon 

Salt - as per taste

Step 1 :

Wash & soak the ulavalu / horse gram over night (Preferably) or at least 1 to 2 hours so that it will take less time to pressure cook them.

Soaked Horse gram

Step 2 :

Add 3 to 4 cups water & pressure cook the horse gram.

Step 3: 

Once the horse gram is pressure cooked, separate 3/4 of the cooked ulavalu and grind them along with garlic cloves, dry red chili, whole black pepper & dhaniya powder.

Pressure cooked Horse gram

Grind Ulavalu with dhaniya powder, garlic, pepper & dry red chili

Grinded horse gram paste with spices

Note : Don't throw away the water extracted from the pressure cooked horse gram, we can use it while making ulava charu.

Residue after pressure cooking the Horse gram

Step 4:

Dice the tomatoes into medium to large pieces. Heat oil in the pan & start adding jeera, mastard & curry leaves and roast them and then add the diced tomato to the seasoning.

Diced Tomato

Step 5 :

Once the tomato pieces are slightly cooked, add the grinded horse gram paste & remaining pressure cooked horse gram to the seasoning.

Step 6 :

Stir once & add the tamarind juice, the extract or residue of pressure cooked horse gram and add salt and cook well for 5 to 10 minutes. You can adjust the thickness of the Ulavacharu by adding water if you prefer it not so thick.

Turn off the heat & let the Ulava char to settle down & come to room temperature. 

Ulava charu

It tastes divine with hot steamed rice. Enjoy cooking , enjoy the food & invest in your HEALTH !