Indian Punjabi Chana Masala

The Punjabi Chana Masala or Punjabi Chole is a popular North Indian curry dish usually made at home or sold as street food. Its main ingredients are chickpeas and fresh roasted dry masalas. The Chole can be relished with a host of dishes, such as Indian flatbread, puris, samosas etc. Because there are various ways to make them, choles are often seen as the barometer of good food in restaurants and on social occasions.

PUNJABI CHANA MASALA INGREDIENTS

½ cup of white chick peas soaked overnight
1 teabag (masala chai)
1 large onion chopped
2 tomato chopped
1 ½ teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste (Fresh or ready to use)
1 or 2 green chilly chopped (according to the taste)
½ teaspoon red chili powder
1/4^th teaspoon of turmeric powder
3 to 4 tablespoons of cooking oil
Salt to taste
Beetroot and onion pickle to garnish

For the dry masala:
1 small piece of dry bay leaf
1 small black cardamom
4-5 pepper corns
1 tablespoon of cumin seeds
1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
2 to 3 cloves
1 dry red chilly
1-inch piece of cinnamon stick

METHOD

1. Pressure cook the soaked Chana (chick peas) along with salt and a teabag. This usually takes 15 to 20 minutes for overnight soaked chickpeas. Do not open the pressure cooker lid immediately, but let the chick peas cook in until the steam is in the pressure cooker and the lid is tight. Once done remove the teabag and set aside.
   
   
2. Dry roast all the ingredients of the dry masala for about one minute on low flame or till nice aroma starts. Then, let the dry masala cool and grind it into powder in a food processor or mortar and pestle and set aside.
   
   
3. In a pan heat the cooking oil and add the chopped onions, ginger garlic paste along chopped green chilli.  Cook till onions starts to brown and add the chopped tomatoes. Cook on medium flame until oil starts to separate, while stirring in between to prevent sticking.
    
4. Add turmeric, chili powder and the prepared dry masala. Mix well and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the boiled chick peas and mash few chick peas using the back of a spoon. Cook till the gravy becomes thick. When done serve hot with Indian flat bread and beetroot onion pickle.

© Photo via Pooja Khanna