Kala Channa Masala

It was one of those days when I had a housefull of people to feed, and no vegetables in the fridge. Since the vegetable vendor comes only after 7, I decided to make rajma or channa, but found only kala channa at home. I first soaked it, then looked for a recipe more substantial than the one that I normally make. It turned out tasting much better than anticipated.

1 cup dry kala chana
1 bay leaf
1 piece cinnamon

2-3 cloves

1 badi elaichi

2 large onions

2 large tomatoes

2 green chillis
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp saung
1/2 tsp jeera
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 1/2 tsp dhania powder
1/2 tsp haldi powder
1/2 tsp amchur powder

A pinch of hing

2 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Method:
Wash the kala chana and soak it for 4- 6 hours (or overnight)
Pressure cook with bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, elaichi, and sufficient water till the chana is cooked (I reduce the flame after the first whistle and cook for 20 minutes). Discard the spices.
Cut one onion in large chunks, and the other finely. Chop tomatoes into large chunks.
Heat 1/2 tbsp of oil and saute onion chunks until light brown, allow to cool and grind with green chili, cumin seeds, fennel seeds with little water into fine paste. Puree tomato and keep aside.
Heat remaining oil, add chopped onion, ginger-garlic paste and saute until golden brown.
Add hing and onion paste and saute until oil starts to separate. Add chilli, dhania powder, turmeric powders and mix well, saute for a minute.
Add puree tomato and mix well, cook in medium to slow until oil separates. Add cooked chana along with water, salt and bring it to boil.
Add amchur powder and simmer for 10 minutes or until gravy thick.
Garnish with dhania patta and/ or chopped onions and serve.

Ashtami spread- sprouted kala channa

I wanted to make something slightly different for Ashtami this year, so instead of regular kala channa, made it with sprouted kala channa instead. The taste was very different from what it normally is (who would have guessed the act of sprouting will change the taste so much), but what it lacked in regular taste, it made up for in the health quotient.

1 Cup Kala Chana Sprouted

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 

Pressure cook the kala channa sprouts for about 10 minutes. 

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.

Sprouts and apple salad

Now that I have started working full time, I am constantly on the look out for things that will keep the mid day hunger pangs at bay. Sprouts are a perennial favourite. This is a variation on a salad I tried out first about two years back, and I like it enough to make it again.

1 cup sprouted chana
1 apple, chopped into small pieces (reserve a few slices for garnish)
1 tbsp vinegar
Salt to taste

Method:
Bring 2 cups water to boil, add the vinegar and salt, and dissolve so it mixes well.
Add the sprouted channa to the water, and let it soak for 15 minutes.
Drain well, add the apple, mix, and serve.

Kala channa

The first time I made "sukha channa" was on Ashtami day last year, and I made it with regular kabuli channa, because that was the only thing I had at home. I have made it a few times with kala channa, but never thought to take a photograph.
This then, is the kala channa I made today. The hubby had it with rice, and the rest of us had rotis made out of dough that used the excess water from cooking the channa.

1 Cup Kala Chana (Black Chick Peas)

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 amchur powder

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 roti 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 amchur powder to it.

Homemade Roasted Chickpeas

I've been wanting to make this ever since I saw it posted on IFF by Nanditha Suresh about a month back. The right time finally came when I soaked kala-chana intending to make it for dinner, only to be told we had been invited to a housewarming party instead. I could have dumped it in the freezer for making another day, but decided to try the recipe out.
And it was absolutely delicious! Not to polish off an entire bowlful with a cup of tea and a good book.

2 cups chickpeas
1 tbsp oil 
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/3 tsp haldi powder
Salt to taste
 
Method:
Soak the chickpeas overnight and pressure cook (1 whistle). Drain the chickpeas and let it dry completely.
Pre-heat oven to 200 degree celcius for 5 minutes.
In a bowl mix chickpeas and oil. Toss it well. In another cup, mix the dry spices well to make sure the flavours blend well. Now combine the oil-coated chickpeas with the dry spices. Ensure all the ingredients are mixed well.
Now, place the chickpeas mixture on a baking tray and spread it well. Place it in the pre-heated oven. In the same temperature, let it roast for 30 minutes or till browned.
Now the healthy and tasty snack is ready to be served.

Kala channa

This is my easy peasy, can't go wrong recipe for kala channa.

 Soak 1 cup kala channa for a few hours, then pressure cook for 2 whistles with haldi and salt.

Dry roast dhania and jeera, and pound till it forms a coarse powder.
Heat a little oil, add 1 onion chopped fine, and 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste. When the raw smell goes, add the dhania-jeera powder, 1 tsp amchur powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder.

Add the cooked kala channa, bring to boil, and cook on low heat for a few minutes. Adjust salt as per taste.

Serve garnished with dhania patta.