Chana Masala/Chole

Hello everyone,

Chana masala/Chole is a popular indian dish which is made by cooking chickpeas in onion, tomato gravy along with spices. 

I make chana masala more often as it is rich is protein. I usually make it with basic spices but off late I am using homemade masala powder to prepare this. It goes well with poori, jeera rice, bhatura.

 

Ingredients:

Chickpeas or Garbanzo bean - 1 cup

Water - 2 1/2 cup to boil

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Onion - 1 cup finely chopped

Green chili - 1 slit

Tomatoes - 2 large

Chole masala powder - 1 tbsp

Ghee/oil - 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Bay leaf - 1

Cinnamon - 1/2 inch

Cilantro -  few chopped

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak chickpeas in water overnight. Pressure cook with little salt and 21/2 cup water for about 5-6 whistles on a medium heat.

2. Chop tomatoes and blend it to puree without adding water. Keep it aside.

3. Melt ghee in a large pan, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon and then add onion,green chili, ginger garlic paste. Saute until onion turns golden brown.

4. Add chana masala powder and sprinkle some salt for the onion. Cook for couple of minutes. 

5. Now add tomato puree and saute until oil separates from masala.

6. Add boiled chickpeas and adjust the consistency.

7. Cover and cook for about 10mins in low flame.

8. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy chana masala with roti, poori or jeera rice.

Note:

1. Mash few chickpeas if the gravy is watery. Mashing or grinding the chickpeas makes the gravy thick.

2. Adjust the chana masala powder quantity depending on the spice level.

Chole Masala

Hello everyone,

Chole tastes great with chana masala powder. Chana masala is available in  all the indian grocery store but it enhances the taste when we use freshly ground powder.  

I used to make chole with just regular spices(chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder). These days I make it with homemade masala powder. 

Ingredients:

Dried red chili - 7 (I used byadige chili)

Coriander seeds  - 3 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 2 tbsp

Cardamom - 6

Black pepper corns - 2 tsp 

Cloves - 5-6

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Amchur powder - 3 tbsp

Hing - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. In a pan, add all the ingredients except turmeric powder, amchur powder and hing. Dry roast on a low flame until it turns aromatic and the red chili is crunchy.

2. Turn off the heat and transfer it to a blender or mixer. Allow it to cool down.

3. Add turmeric powder, amchur powder and hing. Grind it to a fine powder. 

4. Store it in an air tight container and use it while preparing chana masala.