Kala Chana Masala

Kala Chana/Chickpea Masala - A nutritious lip-smacking recipe enriched with iron and protein.

Ingredients -

1 cup chickpea (kaala chana)

3 onions

2 tomatoes

2 green chilly

1/2 cup grated coconut

1/2 spoon Coriander seeds (Dhaniya)

1/2 spoon cumin seeds (Jeera)

1/2 spoon mustard seeds

2 bay leaf

1/4 spoon turmeric powder

1/4 spoon red chilli powder

1 spoon garam masala

8-10 garlic cloves

1 inch ginger

Coriander leaves

Salt

Sesame oil/sunflower oil

Method: 

1. Soak chickpea (kaala chana) overnight/for at least 6 hours.

2. Next, finely chop the green chillies, onions and garlic. Also grate the ginger and keep it aside.

3. Take a cooker, add 4 teaspoon sesame oil/sunflower oil. Once the oil is hot add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Allow the mustard seeds to splutter and then add the green chillies, bay leaf, garlic, ginger, onion and saute till the onion becomes transparent. 

4. By the time onion is getting cooked take freshly grated coconut  and deseeded tomatoes in a mixer jar and grind it into a smooth paste.

5. Once the onion becomes transparent, add the tomato coconut puree into it.

6. Now add turmeric powder, garam masala powder, red chilli powder and salt and mix it and then allow the mixture to cook for about 3-4mins.

7. Next add the soaked kala chana and add 3 cups of water and allow it to cook for about 10 whistles.

8. Open the cooker lid once it cools down, add finely chopped coriander leaves and give it a good mix.

Note: you can serve this spicy tangy kaala chana masala with hot steamed rice/roti/butter naan for lunch/dinner.