CHANNA MASALA

My father took us to BTH (a restaurant in Kochi, India) when we were kids. My two brothers and I ordered channa batura. The combination was so tasty that we ordered the same thing again. We just could not stop eating that. We wanted to order the same dish a third time but then had to stop.

The taste of the channa masala still lingers. This recipe is close, though!!

I have tried to make this authentic curry countless times. Many recipes use a lot of tomatoes and onions to make a thick gravy. Using a lot of tomatoes suppresses the flavor of other spices, which I do not like. 

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 cup channa(garbanzo beans, vella kadala,kabuli channa), soaked overnight
2. 1  medium-sized onion(100 gms.) chopped finely
3. 1 green chili, slit, and seeds removed
4.  1 medium-sized tomato 
5. 4 garlic cloves, chopped finely
6. 1 small piece ginger, finely chopped or grated
7. 2 tsp coriander powder
8. 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
9. 1/4 tsp clove powder 
10. 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder or 1 tsp ordinary chili powder
11. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
12. 1/2 tsp each of fenugreek powder
13. 1 tsp each of cumin powder and fennel seed powder
14. 2 Tbsp. shredded coconut
15. 1 Tbsp. cashew nuts
16. lemon juice as per taste
17. generous handful of coriander leaves chopped
18. salt to taste 
19. 2 cups water
20. 2 Tbsp. oil

METHOD

• Soak the Channa for at least 8 hours overnight.
  

• Pressure cook, washed, and drained Channa with 2 cups water and salt on high heat for 3 whistles and on medium heat for 15 minutes.
  

  

• Heat a sauté pan on medium-high heat. When warm, add oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onions. Sauté for a few minutes; when the onions start to brown, add garlic and saute until well cooked.
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  
  

  

• Add all the spice powders and stir well. Then add the tomatoes, chopped ginger, coriander leaves, green chili, and sauté.
  
  
  
  

• Sauté till the masala cooks well, and the oil comes up. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
                                                                  
• Add the cooked channa and boil for about 3-5 minutes. Smash a few of the channa against the wall of the pan. 

• Make a paste of the coconut and cashew nuts. Add this to the curry. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Serve with puri or chapati. 

• I like it topped with some finely chopped onions and a squeeze of lemon.
  

NOTES

• You can use 4 Tbsp. of tomato paste instead of tomatoes. Remember that when the tomato paste tube is opened, it must be used within 4 weeks. If it is kept longer, the tomato paste will become bitter as it sits.
• I tried cooking the onion and tomatoes along with the channa. Then, I seasoned the oil with the spice powders and cooked the whole thing again, but pressure cooking the tomatoes increased its sourness in a different, not-so-good way. So don't ever try this method. I have also tried sautéing the onions, masala, and tomato and then pressure cooking the channa for a one-pot recipe but didn't like the tomato flavor.
• The onion-to-tomato proportion is just right. No need to change that.
• Can substitute 1-2 Tbsp. of ghee instead of oil.
• Whenever there is leftover channa masala and baked samosa, I like to put that in a bowl, Thaw cubes of the frozen tamarind chutney and frozen cubes of mint chutney, top it with sev and chopped onions, and enjoy a homemade channa chaat.
• For 1 cube of tamarind pulp, I use 2 cubes of frozen cubes of mint chutney.