Kala channa, for this recipe people have all sort of complexities like grinding onion, grinding part of channa, must have tomatoes, first boil channa in a cooker separately, fortunately my mom always cooked it simply and it tastes amazing ,a recipe packed with protein, fibers and can accompany puffed rice, flaked rice, roti, paratha, poori, or eaten just like that. Notes: The below recipe can be made without onion and garlic also,see notes in method.
Ingredients
250 grams kala channa soaked for at least 8 hours (overnight).
Though once or twice if I have forgotten soaking Channa overnight, I have soaked it in warm to hot water for 3-4 hours, and used. But my personal advice, if you haven’t soaked for at least 8 hours, don’t do this shortcut, instead make it some other day. Once, fully soaked, it can be kept in refrigerator after draining water and can be taken out 30-40 minutes before cooking. Sufficient soaking is very critical in getting the correct texture and taste,
2 big onions, sliced thin
1 bay leaf,
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 cardamom
3-4 tablespoon of mustard oil or any other oil
1 tablespoon garlic paste (one medium garlic pod)
1 teaspoonful ginger paste (about 1 inch ginger)
3 teaspoon of coriander powder
2 teaspoon of cumin powder
2 teaspoon of red chili powder (adjust as per your taste)
Salt as per your taste
1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper powder
Method
Take a 3 litre or 5 litre cooker. Add mustard oil. Once oil is hot, add all whole spices, once they splutter, add onions, keep frying till onion turn golden brown. Then add soaked thoroughly washed channa, mix and fry for a minute. Then in a bowl take garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and mix it with 1 tablespoon of water. Add this to channa. Mix well so that channa is nicely coated with spices’ paste. Keep stirring till oil separates at edges, bottom (about 7-10 minutes), if problem of sticking, 1-2 tablespoon of water can be added. After that add ginger paste and black pepper powder, fry for another 2-3 minutes. Add water. Close the lid, put the whistle. Cook on medium flame for 4-6 whistles (approximately 25-30 minutes).
Notes: If without onion and garlic, after adding whole spices, add ginger paste, saute for 30 seconds, then add all powder spices with little water, saute till oil separates, and then add soaked channa. Saute till spices coat the channa, and oil separates, then add water.
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