Cooking web notes

    I wanted to try chana masala recipe with tea as ingredient,as I heard it from few friends. So found this recipe and this is the 3rd or 4th time I am making this. This has become my kiddo’s favourite now,who hated chana before. The only person now I have to convince is my hubby…Still he is ok with this for once in a while. This is perfect side dish for chapati, bhatura or poori.
     The chole picture in the cookbook(Nita Mehta’s)was very dark and had less masala coated,thats coz I reduced the channa but not the other things. The reason for a lighter shade must be the tea bags,I used only one while its was mentioned for 2. Thats coz I was afraid using tea as my kid is allergic to caffeine. This is not gravy kind, its comes out a bit dry . But soft and yummy chole goes well with poori or bhatura!

Ingredients

Chana /chick peas	1 cup
Chana dal	2 tblsp
Onion	2, finely chopped
Tomato	3, chopped
Green chilli	1
Tea bag	1 or 2
Moti elachi(Big cardamom)	1
Cinnamon	1 inch piece
Ginger	1 inch piece(chopped)
Anar daana seeds(pomegranate seeds) Powder	2 tsp
Dhania powder	1 tsp
Red chilli powder	1/2 – 3/4  tsp
channa masala powder	1 tsp
Garam masala powder	1/2 tsp
Cooking soda	1 pinch
Oil	2 tblsp
Lemon	as needed
Coriander leaves	2 tblsp
Salt	as needed

 

Method

Soak channa overnight. Add channa dal, cooking soda,tea bag,cinnamon and ealchi.Pressure cook up to 1 whistle and simmer the flame to lowest and cook for 20 minutes.Make sure to add water enough to immerse channa. Heat oil in pan and add onions and fry till transparent.Add anar daana powder and give it a quick stir. Add chopped tomatoes,ginger,salt and green chilli. Fry for 3-4 minutes. Add dhania powder,red chilli powder, garam masala. Fry until oil separates. Strain channa from the cooker and reserve the water. Remove tea bag,elachi and cinnamon.Add channa to onion tomato masala and mix well. Cook for 5-7 minutes in medium flame. Lastly add channa masala and the reserved water. Cook again for 15 minutes. This masala has to be little dry.

    To serve, add chopped onion,lemon juice and coriander leaves on top and enjoy with bhatura or poori or chapati.

Tea bags sure adds a wonderful fragrance to the masala…I added only one, if you add 2 I think you can get a darker colour. Cooking time is very high,but that only makes the channa blend well with the masala and makes it softest. I dint add anardana powder,but sure its a star ingredient in this masala, I will sure add next time after I buy that…I added a tsp of chaat masala instead.. Serve with the toppings,its best way of serving. It gets more thick/dry when cooled.