Chana Masala/White Chickpeas Gravy

Chole Masala is a dish from the Indian subcontinent common in Indian cuisines. They are also known as kabuli Chana, prepared with onion and tomato gravy spiced up with Indian masalas. Chickpeas can be cooked and eaten cold in salads, cooked in stews, ground into flour. Chickpea flour is known as gram flour or Besan in South Asia and used a lot in South Asian cuisine. Some varieties of chickpeas can be popped and eaten like popcorn.

Let’s Get Started:

1 cup white chana soaked for 7-9  hours overnight, washed and drained, serving 4 people

Ingredients:

• 1 Tea bag
• 1/4 baking soda (optional)
• 3 cloves (laung)
• 1 black cardamom (moti elaichi)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 medium size onion (finely chopped)
• 2 tomatoes (tomato puree)
• 1 green chilly (slit into 2)
• 1 inch ginger sliced
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4-5 black pepper crushed (kaali mirch)
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• salt to taste

Boiling Of Chickpeas:

• Add 1 cup chickpeas along with 2 cups of fresh water. The level should be above the chanas.
• Now add 1 tsp salt, 1 tea bag, 1 black cardamom, 3 cloves, 1/4 tsp baking soda. Tea bag gives a very good color and taste to chanas. Baking soda gives good aroma and cooks chana quickly.
• If you don’t have tea bag then tie 1 tsp tea leaves in a muslin cloth and place in the pressure cooker. You can also use dry gooseberry (amla) tied up in a cloth instead of tea bags.
• Close the lid and pressure cook it upto 5-6 whistles.
• After 6 whistles turn off the flame. DO NOT open the cooker until all the steam goes away by itself.
• Now check the chana softness by using finger tips if they are getting properly crushed and there is no hardness inside.
• Remove the tea bag. Do not drain the water.

 

Preparation Of Tempering:

• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok. Add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1 slit green chilly, 1 inch ginger sliced. Let it change the color.
• Now add 1 finely chopped onion and stir fry till it turns golden brown.
• Time to pour tomato puree into the wok. Cook until there is no rawness and masala starts leaving the oil.
• When masala is done, add 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 5 crushed black pepper and salt according to need.
• Now add the boiled chanas along with water into the wok and cook according to consistency. Garnish with coriander.
• Serve hot with rice, poori, bhature, naan.

Enjoy this lip smacking chole and do subscribe to my blog as well.