Kala Vatana Usal

For cooking black peas

• ▢ 1 cup black peas (kala vatana)

• ▢ 2 cups water or as required

• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt or as required

For making coconut masala

• ▢ 1 tablespoon oil

• ▢ ⅓ cup thinly sliced onions

• ▢ 5 to 6 garlic cloves – small to medium-sized, peeled and roughly chopped

• ▢ 1 inch ginger peeled and roughly chopped

• ▢ 1 cup fresh grated coconut or ½ cup fresh coconut + ¼ cup desiccated coconut

• ▢ 1 to 2 dry red chillies – the malvani masala i used does not have red chillies it, hence I have added these

• ▢ ⅓ to ½ cup water – for grinding coconut masala

More Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tablespoons oil

• ▢ ⅓ cup chopped onions

• ▢ 1 tomato small-sized, optional

• ▢ 1 to 1.5 tablespoons malvani masala

• ▢ ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

• ▢ ½ teaspoon Red Chilli Powder – optional

• ▢ 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder – optional

• ▢ 1 to 1.5 cups water or add as required

• ▢ salt as required

• ▢ 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves – for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

• Start the previous night before. Pick and clean the black peas. Wash the peas in running water for 3 to 4 times.

• Soak the peas in water for 8 to 10 hours. You could also use sprouted black peas.

• The next day, discard the water from the soaked peas. Rinse the peas a few times with fresh water.

• Boil the black peas with ½ teaspoon salt and 2 cups water in a 3-litre pressure cooker for 10 to 12 mins till they are completely cooked and tender.

• The peas should get softened well. Drain the cooked peas in a strainer and set aside.

• Now on a small frying pan or tawa heat up 1 tablespoon of oil. Add ⅓ cup of thin onion slices and sauté stirring often till they become light golden.

• Add in the chopped garlic and ginger and sauté for a few seconds.

• Add the coconut. Mix well and roast for a minute.

• Next add the dry red chillies. Remove the seeds if you prefer from the chillies. Mix again.

• Roast the entire masala till the coconut turns golden. Roast on a low heat and keep on stirring often so that the masala does not stick to the pan or get burnt.

• Set the pan aside and let the masala cool. In a grinder transfer the roasted masala ingredients.

• Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the boiled black peas to it together with ⅓ to ½ cup of water.

• Grind to a smooth and fine paste. Add more water if needed.

• In another deep bottomed pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Sauté ⅓ cup of chopped onions till they soften.

• Add turmeric powder and malvani masala.

• Add the ground masala paste. Now you can add the tomatoes also.

  You don’t have to sauté the masala paste for a long time as we have already done that earlier when the masala ingredients were sautéed.

  Mix everything well and sauté the entire masala for 2 minutes on a low heat. The masala splutters so keep on stirring it.

• Add 1 to 1.5 cups of water depending on the consistency you want in the curry.

• Bring to a rolling boil the first time and then lower the flame and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Take care that the usal does not spill while boiling.

  Make it as per your choice of consistency. If you like more gravy, add some more water.

• Add salt and check the seasonings. Once the curry is cooked well, you will see specks of oil floating on top of the gravy.

  When done add the chopped coriander leaves.

• Serve Kala Vatana Usal hot with Malvani Vade, rice puri or wheat poori. You could also serve Kala Vatana Sambar with plain steamed rice.

NOTES

• Use black peas that are within their expiry date. Older or aged peas will take a long time to cook. 

• If you want to make the recipe for Ganesh Chaturthi festival, then do not add onions and garlic.

• This recipe cannot be scaled as is. 

• You could omit adding dry red chillies to the coconut masala paste. 

• The black peas can be cooked in a stovetop pressure cooker or in the Instant Pot.

• If you do not have Malvani masala add the following listed spices after you sauté ginger and garlic and before adding the coconut.

  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)

  • 1 thin strand of mace (javitri)

  • 1 small stone flower (dagad phool)

  • 1 small star anise (chakri phool)

  • 1 teaspoon poppy seeds (khus khus)

  • 1 cobra saffron (nagkesar), optional

  • 1 triphal, optional

  Later add 1 teaspoon of garam masala when the curry is simmering.

Texas Sheet Cake

For the Cake:

• 12 ounces light brown sugar (about 1 1/2 cups, packed; 340 g)

• 10 ounces unsalted butter (about 20 tablespoons; 280 g), soft but cool, about 65°F/18°C, plus more for greasing the pan

• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon (4 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 ounce vanilla extract (about 1 tablespoon; 15 g)

• 4 large eggs (about 7 ounces; 200 g), brought to about 70°F/21°C

• 10 ounces all-purpose flour, such as Gold Medal (about 2 1/4 cups, spooned; 280 g)

• 2 ounces natural cocoa powder, not low-fat (about 2/3 cup, spooned; 55 g), plus more for dusting (see note)

• 1 ounce malted milk powder, such as Carnation (1/4 cup; 30 g); optional

• 12 ounces cultured low-fat buttermilk or kefir (about 1 1/2 cups; 340 g), brought to about 70°F/21°C , or a 50/50 blend of milk and plain yogurt

For the Chocolate Glaze:

• 8 ounces milk, any percentage will do (about 1 cup; 225 g)

• 6 ounces unsalted butter (about 12 tablespoons; 170 g)

• 7 ounces sugar (about 1 cup; 200 g)

• 1 1/2 ounces natural cocoa powder, not low-fat (about 1/2 cup, spooned; 40g)

• 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or more to taste; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight

• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 8 ounces toasted pecan halves (about 1 1/2 cups; 225 g), or to taste, lightly crumbled or chopped

Directions

1. For the Cake: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Grease a half-sheet pan, dust with cocoa, and tap out the excess.

2. Combine brown sugar, butter, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low to moisten, then increase to medium and cream until fluffy and light, pausing to scrape the bowl and beater halfway through, about 5 minutes. With the mixer running, add the eggs one at a time, letting each fully incorporate before adding the next and scraping the bowl as needed.

3. Meanwhile, sift together the flour, cocoa, and malted milk powder (if using). Reduce mixer speed to low and sprinkle in a third of the dry mix, followed by a third of the buttermilk. Alternate between the two, allowing each addition to roughly incorporate before adding the next. Once batter is smooth, fold with a flexible spatula to ensure it’s well mixed from the bottom up. Scrape batter into the prepared pan, then spread into an even layer.

4. Bake until the cake is puffed and firm to the touch, though your finger will leave an indentation in the puffy crust, about 25 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, for the Chocolate Glaze: While the cake is baking, combine the milk, butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a 2-quart stainless steel saucier. Warm over medium-low heat until the butter is melted, then increase heat to medium and bring to a boil, whisking from time to time, until the mixture is homogeneous. Continue cooking until the syrup reaches 220°F (104°C), then shut off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Cover and set aside to keep warm until the cake comes out of the oven.

6. As soon as the cake is done, immediately pour the warm glaze on top, working slowly to prevent overflow and using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth it into an even layer. Cover all over with toasted pecans, as few or as many as you like. Enjoy warm, or let it stand at room temperature until the glaze has fully set. Wrapped in plastic, the glazed cake will keep up to 1 week at room temperature.

Special Equipment

Stand mixer, flexible spatula, half-sheet pan, offset spatula, 2-quart stainless steel saucier, digital thermometer

Notes

Because cocoa powder is the primary source of flavor in both the cake and the frosting, reaching for the good stuff will make a world of difference. When it comes to chocolate, fat is flavor, and virtually all supermarket cocoa powders are low-fat, which means, conversely, that they're high in starch, giving them a dry and chalky nature. Fortunately, high-quality natural cocoas are easy and affordable to buy online. Check out this guide to our top five brands and pick one for yourself.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Wrapped in plastic, the glazed cake will keep up to 1 week at room temperature.

Chawli Usal

• ▢ ½ cup black eyed beans (chawli, lobia or rongi)

• ▢ 2.5 to 3 cups water – for pressure cooking beans

• ▢ ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)

• ▢ ½ teaspoon Red Chili Powder or cayenne pepper

• ▢ ½ to 1 teaspoon Garam Masala or Malvani masala or goda masala

• ▢ 1 onion – small-sized, chopped or about ¼ cup chopped onions

• ▢ 1 tomato – medium-sized, chopped or about ½ cup chopped

• ▢ 2 tablespoons oil

• ▢ 2 cups water – to be added to the usal or add as needed

For masala curry paste

• ▢ ½ cup coconut – fresh, grated

• ▢ 2 tablespoons dessicated coconut – unsweetened

• ▢ 1 inch ginger – peeled and chopped

• ▢ 3 to 4 garlic cloves – small to medium-sized, peeled and chopped

• ▢ 1 tablespoon fennel seeds

• ▢ ½ tablespoon coriander seeds

• ▢ 1 onion – small-sized, chopped or about ¼ cup chopped onions

• ▢ 1 to 2 teaspoons oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparing the chawli (black eyed beans)

• Rinse a few times in fresh water. Then soak the beans overnight in enough water.

• Next day, drain the water. Rinse the beans again once or twice with water.

• Pressure cook the beans with a bit of salt in 2.5 to 3 cups water for 5 to 6 minutes or 4 to 5 whistles on medium heat or until they are soft and tender but not mushy.

  Since the beans are soaked, they will cook faster.

• When the pressure falls naturally in the cooker, then only open the lid. Take a few beans in a spoon and let them cool a bit.

• Press them with your fingers and they should mash easily. You can also taste them. If they are undercooked, then pressure cook for some more minutes.

• Drain the water and keep the cooked beans aside.

Making masala curry paste

• In a pan, heat oil. Add the chopped onions. Sauté until the onions soften.

• Now, add the chopped ginger and garlic and sauté for a minute on low heat.

• Add the fennel seeds and coriander seeds.

• Sauté for 1 minute or so or till the seeds start becoming crisp or are lightly browned.

• Add the fresh grated coconut along with the dessicated coconut.

• On a low heat, mix first and then roast the mixture till the coconut becomes golden brown. Stir often.

• Keep on stirring, so that the coconut does not burn. Let this mixture cool.

• Then, grind this coconut mixture in a small blender or mixer-grinder with some water.

Making chawli usal

• Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onions and sauté until they soften.

• Add the ground masala paste and sauté for a minute.

• Add chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, salt along with the cooked black eyed beans.

• Stir to mix and add 2 cups water or as needed. Mix again.

• This usal has a medium consistency, but you can make it slightly thick if you prefer.

• Bring to a gentle boil without a lid and then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.

• Check the seasonings and add salt if needed.

• Once all the flavors are blended in the curry and you see some oil floating on the top, remove from heat.

• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve Chawli Usal hot with steamed rice, chapati or bread.

NOTES

• Use beans which are in their shelf-life. 

• You can make a spicy variation by adding green chillies to the curry or adding dry red chillies when roasting the coconut.

• You can also cook the beans in an Instant Pot or in a pan/pot on the stovetop adding water as required.