Kabuli chana with aloo tikki

I adapted the recipe I used to make a rich paneer dish, to make kabuki channa, and it tasted as yummy as the paneer dish. The leftover I had with aloo tikki, and felt I was in gastronomical heaven.

250 gms kabuki channa, soaked for 6 hours

1 bay leaf

1 inch piece cinnamon

1 badi elaichi

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp haldi powder

1 tsp dhania powder

1/2 tsp amchur powder

1 tsp kasoori methi

Salt to taste

A pinch of nutmeg 

For gravy:

4 tomatoes, chopped

2 onions chopped

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1/2 cup water

Method:

Pressure cook the kabuki channa with the dry spices till soft. Keep aside 

Pressure cook the ingredients listed under gravy for 20 minutes on sim after the first whistle (I cooked the channa and the gravy at the same time). Cool and grind to a fine past 

Heat oil, add bay leaves, and sauté for a minute or two

Add paste, and dry spices, and sauté on a low flame till the oil starts leaving the sides

Add cooked channa, kasoori methi, salt and cook for 5 minutes

Serve with parathas or roti. 

Aloo tikki with Channa masala

When I was young, aloo tikki with chana was a classic combination which I had almost every time I accompanied my mother to a "party" at her friends' place. Going through the archives, I was surprised to find I haven't yet written about it. So here it is.

For channa masala
250 gms kabuli chana
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium tomato chopped fine
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
Oil
1 tsp rai
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp jeera powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
Salt to taste
Cooking oil

Method:
Soak the kabuli chana overnight, or at least for 6 hours. Cook in a pressure cooker, till done (about 20 minutes on low flame after the first whistle)
Heat 1 tbsp oil, add onions and saute till transparent. Add the tomatoes and ginger-garlic paste and cook till tomatoes turn mushy. Blend and keep aside.
Heat 1 tsp oil and splutter mustard seeds. Once they stop spluttering, add onion-tomato paste and the spice powders, and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the cooked kabuli chana and sufficient water. Mix well, bring to boil, cover and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
Garnish with finely chopped onions and green chutney, and serve hot with aloo tikkis

For aloo tikkis

4 large potatoes

1 tbsp besan

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp jeera powder

1 small onion, chopped

1 green chilli, chopped

Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the potatoes, cut into eighths and pressure cook till soft (about 10 minutes after the first whistle). Peel, mash and keep aside.

Mix the mashed potatoes with finely chopped onions and green chilli. Add salt, red chilli powder and jeera powder, and mix well.

Heat a tawa, and spread a thin film of oil. Take lemon sized balls of potato mix, flatten, and shallow fry on a low flame till browned. Flip and fry the other side till brown.

Add additional oil/ butter, if required.

Serve hot with chana masala.

Green chutney:
1 bunch mint leaves
1 bunch coriander leaves
1/2 large lemon
Rock Salt to taste

Method:
Blend the mint leaves and coriander leaves till smooth. Add rock salt, and squeeze the lemon and mix well.

Ashtami spread- sukha channa

I have very vivid childhood memories of going from house to house for Ashtami Puja. Though a very a fussy eater, I would cheerfully eat the puri, halwa and kala channa, because tucked away somewhere on the plate would be a couple of shiny 1 rupee coins!
Though my mother in law used to do the Puja too, I never picked up the tradition, but this year, I decided to give it a try.
Suji halwa is easy to make, as is sukha channa (none of the grocers had kala channa, so had to make do with the regular one, though), but it was the first time I was attempting puris, and was I scared!
When the puris puffed up, I puffed up with pride, and felt quite a Domestic Diva as I fed my family "garam garam puris".

1 Cup Kala Chana (Black Chick Peas)- Soaked Overnight (I didn't have it, so made do with regular channa)

1 Tbsp Mustard Oil
1 Tsp Jeera (Cumin)
1/2 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 Tsp Jeera (Cumin) -Roasted and Powdered
1 and 1/2 Tsp – Kala Namak (Balck Salt)

Curry leaves
1 Tsp Lemon Juice

Method
Wash the soaked chick peas thoroughly in the morning and pressure cook it until done. 

Heat oil in a kadhai and add cumin seeds and curry leaves to it. Once the seeds start crackling add the drained chick peas (You can use the water from chick peas for kneading the poori dough). 

Now add the black salt, the red chilli powder and Jeera powder and mix thoroughly. 

Keep it on simmer for 2-3 minutes and after that take it off fire and add 1 tsp lemon juice to it.

Chole

Not sure of the authenticity at all, but this is my Mother's tried and tested recipe, without tomatoes

Soak chana overnight, pressure cook with one potato cut into smallish pieces.
Cut onions into really small pieces and fry on low heat till transparent. Add ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp zeera powder, 2 tsp dhania powder, 1 tsp amchur powder and 1 tsp red chilli powder, and fry till the raw taste goes. Add chana, salt to taste, water if needed, stir and allow it to cook in its own steam for a few minutes.