Chana Masala Version II (chickpeas/garbanzo gravy)

Hello.

As I have mentioned  in my first version of Chana Masala, I make this preparation in several ways to break the monotony and obviously to enjoy the health benefits. I am very happy to post the second version, an authentic Punjabi version. This recipe is very close to my heart and I am surely disclosing some secrets of my kitchen here…. Have I aroused your interest now in reading this post?

As we all know any preparation when it is made by two different people using the same ingredients has a different taste. In this recipe some ingredients that I have used are used by everyone but some are surely new.

I personally like my Chana cooked very soft , made in low oil and with a perfect balance of spices. I like it slightly tangy, medium spicy and enjoy eating it with rice. And yes, I surely enjoy the crunch of raw onions with this combo.

It was a while ago that I had cooked the Chana last,  S reminded me that I had not cooked it in ages… so this ever obedient wife soaked the Chana for weekend…I thought suits me fine, I do not have to stand in the kitchen for a long time on a holiday.

I let the Chana soak overnight and then started cooking it in the morning. I have used Kachari to tenderise the Chana naturally. I had heard about Kachari in Sanjeev Kapoor’s show and since then I was in hunt of this ingredient. Ideally it is used to tenderise the meat but can be used for Chana too as it takes a lot of time for them to get cooked otherwise. Kachari is a fruit and in dried form is powdered and used.

The other variation which I have done is boiled the Chana with a few ingredients which adds a flavor, deepens the color, increases the nutrient value and aids in digestion of these ‘Sholay’ sorry Chhole…..read the method for that

So lets hit the complete list of ingredients

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups of Kabuli chana (approx 4 handfuls)

2 potatoes cubed (optional)

1 small stick cinnamon

2 Black cardamom

1 tsp tea leaves

9-10 dry amla

1/4 tsp kachari (alternately, you can also use soda bi carb)

for gravy….

3 onions (make a paste)

3 tomatoes (pureed)

7-8 garlic pods

1-1/2 inch piece ginger

oil for cooking

Spices used…

3-4 bay leaves

1 tsp white pepper pwd

2 tsp red chili pwd

1 tsp turmeric

3-4 tsp coriander pwd

2 tsp roasted  and powdered Cumin

1 tsp roasted and powdered Ajwain / Carom Seeds

3-4 tbsp Anardana pwd*

1/4 tsp garam masala (optional) I did not add

Method

Wash the chickpeas and soak it in overnight with 1/4 tsp Kachari powder  and then boil it in the same water ( to retain nutrients) with  this mix  and  also add salt to taste.

This mix contains tea leaves which helps to deepen the colour, dry Indian gooseberry (Amla), cinnamon stick and Black cardamom. Tie all ingredients in a cloth (make a potli) and put it  along with the  chickpeas in a pressure cooker, remove the potli after cooking. Amla adds it’s flavor, helps in digestion and is the richest source of Vit C. One can notice the difference in colour after cooking. See below..

Grind the onions. Heat oil and add bay leaves followed by the onion paste and saute till it gets a light brown colour. One can see how the onion changes colour on cooking.

Add crushed ginger garlic paste followed by the tomato puree. Cook till the oil separates and then add all the spices and salt to taste. I must tell my friends that the Anardana (dry pomegranate seeds) used here impart tanginess and it’s taste is very different from Amchoor. It imparts  that perfect tanginess which is subtle and surely add that authentic punjabi flavour, people who have used this will agree to me on this and if you have not used it till now please do not wait, use it!

Add the potatoes, mix, cover and cook till done.

Add this to cooked chickpeas and add some water, boil on simmer flame for another 10 minutes.

Serve this with Poori / Paratha / Rice / Kulcha / Naan.

Sending this as my entry to EC’s MLLA-19 the brainchild of Susan   
                                             &

to Arundhuti’s Gourmet affair as this was made with lot of love on S’s demand.