Channa Masala

Channa Masala

Ingredients

1 and half cup brown channa
2 medium sized onions chopped
3 medium sized tomatoes chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
½ tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp chilly powder
1 tsp amchur powder/dry mango powder
2 slit green chillies
1 tbsp oil
salt
spices for the punjabi chole masala:
4-5 black cardamoms
1 inch cinnamon
5-6 peppercorns
3 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 and half tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 and half tsp coriander seeds (dhania)
1 and half tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
2 red chillies

Instructions
1. Wash and soak the channa (brown channa) in enough water overnight.
2. Add enough amount of water as the channa increase in size after soaking it.
3. In a pressure cooker add the channa, enough water, salt and pressure cook for 5-6 whistles. The chole should be soft when you mash it with a spoon.
4. In a pan, dry roast all the spices mentioned above till brown. Don’t burn them.
5. On a slow or moderate flame you can roast the spices. Keep on tossing it otherwise they may get burnt.
6. Once they are cooled, grind them into a fine powder.
7. Now in the same pan, add oil. Once the oil becomes hot, add the chopped onions. Fry till they become transparent.
8. Now add the ginger paste.
9. Once the raw smell of the ginger disappears, then add the chopped tomatoes. Add a little salt so that the tomatoes gets cooked fast.
10. Add the powdered spices, red chili powder, garam masala powder and green chilies to the onion-ginger-tomato mixture. Saute for a minute.
11. Now add the boiled channa with a little quantity of its broth. You can add more broth if you want more gravy.
12. Check the salt first as the while boiling the channa we added salt and we are using the same broth.
13. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.
14. Finally, add the amchur powder.
15. Garnish Channa Masala with chopped onions and cilantro leaves.
16. Serve the punjabi channa with kulchas, bhaturas, pooris, rotis, along with sliced onions and lime. Chole also tastes good with rice.