It’s almost end of January and is raining and cold here in California!
I would like to spend my day cozied up on my day sofa, wrapped in warm blanket enjoying the rain with a cup of masala chai! That’s perfect raining day!
Here is something else I enjoy on a cold winter day, a warm bowl of Sev Usal with chopped onions and green chutney.
Sev Usal is also something I like to have when I am feeling nostalgic! Growing up this one pot meal used to be our go to for big family gatherings, birthday parties or had a craving a piping hot bowl of my favorite spicy, tangy street food.
Sev Usal is also a distant cousin of Misal pav; a spicy dish made from sprouted moong beans topped with crunchy chevdo. I took an inspiration from Misal pav and would add chevdo along with sev to my usal, because who doesn’t like crunchy stuff in their spicy yet tangy soup!
Here is my instant pot recipe, you got to try it!
Sev Usal
Ingredients
- 1 cup green peas(vatana) soaked overnight
- 1 onion medium, chopped
- 3 tomatoes chopped
- 1 green chili finely chopped
- 1 inch ginger finely chopped
- 8 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 tbsp oil
- pinch of asafetida(hing)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin coriander powder
- 1 tbsp sev usal masala (can use 1 tsp of garam masala instead)
- 1 lemon medium
- sugar
- salt
- cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Soak the green peas for 8 hours/overnight.
- Set Instant Pot to saute mode and heat oil. Add hing and cumin seeds, cook them for a minute or until aromatic.
- Add onions with pinch of salt and let it cook until soft.
- Next add ginger, garlic and green chili and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes with pinch of salt and 1/2 cup water; let it cook until tomatoes are soft.
- Stir in all spices (turmeric, red chili, cumin coriander powder and sev usal masala). Add another 1/2 cup water and let the spices cook for a minute.
- Add soaked peas, mix and add just enough water to cover all the peas.
- Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing and pressure cook for 20 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally.
- Add juice of one lemon; sugar and salt as per your liking.
- Enjoy warm with sev, green chutney and chopped onions.
