Channa Masala

Ingredients

Channa – 1 1/4 cup (200 gm. Soak channa overnight)

Onion – 2 (big size)

Tomato – 2 (medium size)

Garlic – 4 to 5 pods(i used big china garlic. if you are using small pods, then use 10 to 12 pods)

Ginger – 2 inch piece (peel the skin & cut into small pieces)

Cashew nut – 7 to 8 nos

Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Channa masala – 4 to 5 teaspoon

Chili powder – 4 teaspoon

Bay leaf – 1

Cinnamon – 1/2 inch piece

Cloves – 4 nos

Cardamom – 2 nos

Salt – to taste

Oil – 5 to 6 tablespoon

Kasuri methi – 1 spoon

Preparation Method

Add the overnight soaked channa in the pressure cooker or pan. Add water until channa fully immersed. Pressure cook channa for 15 to 20 min. Keep the flame high until the first whistle. After the first whistle change it to medium low flame.

Heat 3 tablespoon of oil in a pressure pan. Add onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cashew nut. Then add salt, turmeric powder, chili powder, store bought chole masala or channa masala of any brand. Mix them well. Add some water to it. Approximately half to three quarter glass of water. Now pressure cook the masala for 2 to whistles in a medium low flame.

Open the pressure pan 5 min after you switch off the stove. Mash it gently. Allow it to cool. Then add the tomato masala to a mixer jar. Grind to fine paste. Heat a pressure pan. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil to it. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom & cloves. Once it gets fried add in the grinded paste to it. Stir it for 1 min. Add some water to it. Once it started boiling add the cooked channa to it. Finally add crushed dried kasuri methi. Check for the salt & spices. I felt like, need to add salt, chili powder & channa masala. So I added them little more at this stage. Now pressure cook the channa masala for 1 whistle in a medium high flame. Then open the pressure pan 10 min after you switch off the stove.