Kala Chana Masala

Pulses have always been my forte. I learnt and enjoyed cooking them right from the time I started cooking. I am so confident about the dish to turn out right that pulses make a permanent place on my menu during special dinners and lunches.

Try out this delicious Kala Chana Masala and let me know if you like it. :)

Ingredients

Kala/ Black Chana – 1 cup, boiled

Onions – 1 ½ cup, diced in to cubes

Tomatoes – 2 to 3 (medium)/ 3 cups, diced in to cubes

Chilies – 3 to 4, slit vertically

Ginger garlic paste – ½ tsp.

Mint leaves – ½ cup, full leaves

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp.

Chili powder – ½ tsp.

Garam masala – 1 ½ to 2 tsp.

Chat masala – 1 tsp. (I used it as a substitute to amchoor powder)

Chana Masala – 1 tsp.

Note – Don’t worry if you don’t have it. The dish turns out well even without it. You could add more of garam masala and chat masala if required.

Asafetida/ Hing – 1/8 tsp.

Cumin seeds/ Jeera – ½ tsp.

Cilantro/ Coriander leaves – For garnishing

Oil – 2 to 3 tbsp.

Salt – To taste

Water – 1 – 1 ½ cups

Method

1. Take a saucepan, put it on flame and add oil. Once the oil gets heated, add cumin seeds, upon spluttering put asafetida, chilies, onions, tomatoes (in that order) and sauté until the rawness goes. Onions should become a little translucent and tomatoes should become soft and mushy.

2. Turn off the heat. Let the mixture cool.

3. Grind the onion tomato mixture into a fine paste.

4. Put the pan on heat, add a little oil and pour in the paste. Cook until the gravy loses all its water and sticks together. Keep stirring at regular intervals.

                                  

5. Once the gravy is ready, add turmeric powder, chili powder, ginger garlic paste and cook for another 5 minutes.

6. Now add boiled chana, salt, chat masala and garam masala. Mix well and add water. Let it come to a boil and cook until you get your desired consistency.

Note – The more you cook, more flavors get in to chana. Be sure not to burn your dish though. :)

7. Turn off the flame and serve hot with roti, rice, poori or bhatura.