Jonnalu Shenagalu ~ Sauteed Sorghum & Black Chana

Jonnalu shenagalu or sauteed sorghum black chana is a snack from Telangana, India. Jonnalu shenagalu are one of the popular gudalu varieties prepared in my maternal family. Jonnalu are sorghum or jowar and shenagalu are black chana. These two pair well and make a filling evening snack or even a breakfast if one doesn’t mind a protein and fiber rich food.

My theme for this week’s blogging marathon is Ingredient by mail. The idea behind the theme is, a pair of bloggers exchange ingredients and we cook with that secrete ingredient. We NY/NJ bloggers met last month and exchanged the ingredients. Since we were 5 of us, we randomly picked 3 ingredients from the lot. First ingredient is one of the ingredients from Pavani. When I saw sorghum, I instantly grabbed. I new exactly what I wanted to make.

Gudalu are sauteed snack made with fresh legumes, dry beans or grains. Sorghum is usually paired with black chana and is one of my favorites. I do not make this at home as I am the only one who eats it and when I saw Pavani’s ingredient for this ingredient exchange, I knew what I what I was making.

Cooking Time: 25 – 30 minutes (excudes overnight soaking)
Servings: 1 – 2 (This is was my lunch)

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Whole Sorghum
• ¼ cup cooked Black Chana
• 4 small Green Chilies (adjust to taste)
• ½ – ⅔ tsp Salt (adjust to taste)
• 2 tbsp Oil + more for garnish
• ¼ tsp Cumin Seeds
• ¼ tsp Mustard Seeds
• 4 Curry Leaves
• 2 Red Dry Chilies
• ½ small Onion, chopped
• 4 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• ¼ tsp Chili Powder (if necessary and adjust to taste)
• ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
• Fresh Kothmir ~ Cilantro Leaves, chopped

Preparation:

• Wash and soak sorghum overnight.
• If you do not have pre-cooked black chana, soak little less than ¼ cup of chana overnight or for 4-6 hours and cook until tender and holds shape. I had some home cooked black chana in the freezer and used it.
• Discard water, wash and cook sorghum with 1 cup of water for 4-5 hisses in a pressure cooker.
• Let the pressure release naturally.
• Grind together green chilies and salt.
• Add chana, green chili paste to cooked sorghum, mix, cover and cook for another 5 minutes until almost all the water evaporates.
• In a frying pan or a saute pan, heat oil. When oil is hot, add cumin, mustard and let the seeds splutter.
• Add curry leaves, red chilies and let red chilies turn brown.
• Add onions and saute until soft.
• Add garlic and saute until garlic is lightly roasted.
• Add turmeric, mix and add cooked sorghum.
• Stir and cook until sorghum is roasted.
• Taste and adjust chili powder and salt to taste or you can add it later as garnish as well.
• When sorghum is sauteed, turn off the heat and garnish with cilantro.
• Serve it as is but it is usually served with some chopped onions, crushed garlic, chili powder and oil. Lime juice is optional.

Note:

• I used 2 tbsp of oil and it is a bit too much. Gudalu are usually served with some extra oil when serving. I used more oil when sauteing and did not add additional oil when serving.

This day in 2016: Raju Gari Royyala Pulao ~ Shrimp Pulao