Chickpea or Channa Masala or Channa Sabji/Subzi

Channa also known as Kabuli channa and in English as Chick peas is of the legume family which is high in protein. We Indians prepare a lot of protein rich foods in our daily menu. A splendid curry made from this channa using different spices is the Channa Masala. This dish is famous worldwide. Its taste is awesome. You must have heard Channa Bathura in which poori is served with channa masala. Here I will teach you how to make channa masala. As goes with most of the legumes, you need to soak them in water the previous day. Rest procedure is simple. Just follow these steps to make a tasty channa masala.

How to Prepare:

1. Soak the Chickpea or Kabuli Channa in hot water and leave it soaked overnight. Next day, cook Channa in a pressure cooker with 1/4 tsp of Salt and a pinch of Baking Soda for 3-4 whistles or until Kabuli Channa turns soft. Leave the Channa in the water you used for cooking until you are ready to use the Channa. If removed from water and left to dry, Channa may lose its softness and turn hard.

2. Chop both Onions and restore one small Onion to fry at the end. Prepare Tomato puree by grinding Tomatoes in a mixer grinder. Keep aside.

3. Heat Oil in a pan, add Mustard seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add Jeera and Curry Leaves and fry for a minute.

4. Now add chopped Onions, Ginger + Garlic Paste and Turmeric Powder and fry until the Onions look transparent.

5. Then add Tomato Puree and fry until Oil starts to float on the top.

6. Next add Dhaniya or Coriander Powder, Channa Masala Powder or Garam Masala Powder, Chilli Powder, Sugar and cook for a minute in the pan.

7. Reserve 10-15 cooked Channa and before adding to the Masala. Grind this Channa with little water and prepare paste.

8. Now add cooked Chickpea or Kabuli Channa along with the water leftover after cooking the Channa. Allow it to cook for 5 minutes.

9. Add the above paste to the Channa masala and mix. This helps to thicken the Channa Masala. Then add Salt and cook for few more minutes.

10. In a small frying pan, add Ghee and fry the reserved chopped Onion until golden in colour and add to the Channa Masala and cook for a minute.

11. Mix well with all the above Sabji/Sabzi ingredients already in the pan and cook for about 7-8 min by closing the lid.

Remove from the flame and garnish with Coriander Leaves.

Now Chickpea sabji/subzi or Channa Masala or Channa Sabji/Subzi is ready to serve with Chapati or Roti. Tastes great with Poori/Puri as well. Channa with Batura is a terrific combination.