Cholle/ Chana Masala/ Chickpea Curry

                                                                             

Sometime back my daughter had to make something for an office potluck and I suggested this recipe. Not surprisingly it was well appreciated even though none of her colleagues were Indian!

Cholle paired with Bhature is  popular as a street food and at restaurants across North India. However, unlike many other street foods cholle is just as often made at home. Cholle is a crowd pleaser and you can't go wrong with it. It fits in as well into a kiddie birthday party as into an older gathering.

Apart from being delicious cholle is full of proteins and other vital minerals while being relatively low in calories. So go ahead and enjoy cholle without suffering any guilt pangs!

Ingredients: 
1 cup kabuli chana ( chickpeas)
2 medium onions
2 tomatoes
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp whole spice ( garam masala) powder
1 tsp dried mango powder ( amchur)
1tsp dried fenugreek leaves ( kasuri methi)
Whole spices: 1 bay leaf, 1inch cinnamom stick, 3 to 4 cloves, 1 black cardamom, few black pepper corns.
Fresh coriander leaves, lemon wedges and finely chopped onion to garnish


Method:    Soak kabuli chana overnight in plenty of water. In the morning wash it well and put in the pressure cooker with sufficient water to cook. Chop onions finely. Puree the tomatoes and add the ginger garlic paste to it. Chop ginger.

 In a heavy bottom pan pour oil and when it gets heated add the whole spices...cloves, cinnamom, bay leaf, pepper corns and cardamom. After they start crackling add the chopped onion and ginger. Saute till onion turns translucent.  Add tomato, ginger and garlic paste.  Also add the spice powders...turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt.  Stir till the masala is well fried and oil separates from it.  Add the boiled chana and warm water. ( I generally do not use the water in which chana is boiled). Add the all spice ( garam masala) powder and let it cook, covered with a lid,on a slow flame for few minutes or transfer to pressure cooker again for one whistle. Uncover and add kasuri methi and amchur powder.  At the time of serving sprinkle chopped coriander leaves, finely chopped onion and lemon wedges.