Ingredients
- Channa – 1 cup soaked overnight and boiled
- Onion – 2 finely chopped
- Garlic – 6 pods finely chopped/crushed
- Green Chilly – 1
- Ginger – 1 inch piece finely chopped/crushed
- Tomatoes – 4 (make 1 cup tomato puree)
- Green Bell Pepper – 1 small cut into cubes(optional)
- Oil – 3 tsp
- Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
- Red Chilli Powder – 1-1.5 tsp (depending on the level of spice you like)
- Coriander Powder – 1-1.5 tsp (same quantity as red chilli powder)
- Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Fennel Seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Cloves – 2-3 buds
- Bay Leaves – 3
- Curry Leaves – 3-5
- Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch
For Masala
- Green Chillies – 4
- Garlic – 6 pods
- Ginger – 1/2 inch piece
- Fennel Seeds – 1 spoon
For Garnishing
- Butter – 1 tsp
- Onion – 1 finely chopped
- Coriander – 1 handful finely chopped
Preparation
Make the *Channa Masala- Grind the ingredients into a fine powder.
- 4 Green chillies
- 6 Garlic pods
- 1/2 inch Ginger
- 1 spoon Fennel seeds
Procedure
Soak the channa overnight and then boil it in the pressure cooker for 4-5 whistles. Prepare the *channa masala as shown in the preparation. Note: If you forget to soak the channa overnight, dry roast the channa and pressure cook for 6-7 whistles.
Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, curry leaves, cinnamon, bay leaves, green chilly and cloves. Wait till these crackle to proceed to the next step.
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 3-5 curry leaves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
- 2-3 cloves
- 1 green chilly
Add the chopped onions and crushed ginger and garlic. Saute for a few minutes until the onion starts turning brown.
- 2 onions finely chopped
- 6 pods of garlic crushed
- 1 inch of ginger crushed
Add turmeric, tomato puree, ground *channa masala, salt and saute. Now add red chilli powder and coriander powder and let it cook for 2 minutes.
- 4 tomato puree (1 cup)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- ground *channa masala
- Salt to taste
- 1-1.5 tsp red chilli powder
- 1-1.5 tsp coriander powder
Finally add the boiled channa to the gravy and mix on a medium flame. Now on a slow flame let the ingredients boil for about 12-15 mins. While boiling, mash part of the channa to make the gravy thick. If adding bell pepper, proceed to next step or your channa is done! You can now transfer to a serving bowl and garnish.
- 1 cup boiled channa
In a separate vessel saute the green bell pepper in 1 tsp oil for 2 mins. Now add this to the cooked channa masala for crunchiness (optional).
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- Cooked channa masala
Garnish with butter, onions and coriander leaves (optional).Our Channa Masala is ready to be served!
