Chick peas (kadala curry) Recipe

Chana or Kadala Curry is a favourite dish of most of the Indians and it is a recipe that can be easily made with ingredients that are easily available in our houses. It can be served at breakfast or dinner with freshly made poori, appam or roti. The recipe shown here is made for spice loving people and the spices can be adjusted to your taste. It is an easy to make recipe with little time, if you use boiled chick peas coming in tins.

Ingredients for Chick Peas curry

• 400 gm. dry brown chickpeas
• 1/4 tsp. or a large pinch of soda bicarbonate (optional)
• 2 medium to large onions, peeled
• 1/4 inch piece of ginger
• 2-3 cloves of garlic (optional)
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped finely or 200 gm. tinned tomatoes. If tomatoes are unavailable, 1/2 cup of natural yoghurt can be used instead
• 1 tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 small pinch of asafoetida(optional)
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. chilli powder
• 1 tsp. of coriander powder
• Salt,greenchillies to taste
• 1/2 tsp. Garam Masala
• A small bunch of coriander leaves, washed and chopped finely(optional)
• 1 cup of water

Method of Cooking

1. Clean, wash & soak chickpeas overnight in water.
2. Wash the chick peas in the morning and boil the chick peas in fresh water. Pressure cooker for 15-20 minutes, or normal boil for 1 to 2 hour, until soft. If you are using tinned chickpeas, drain and rinse them (these don’t require boiling).
3. Peel, wash and chop onions, ginger and garlic in a food processor or finely chopped by hand.
4. Heat oil in a pan.
5. Add a pinch of asafoetida.
6. Add onions,green chillies, ginger and garlic & fry until golden brown.
7. Add all powdered spices except garam masala and salt. Stir for 10 seconds to release flavors.
8. Add tomatoes and stir fry until oil separates.
9. Add chick peas, stir and add water. How much gravy you want is a personal choice. I usually have it with a curry like gravy.
10. Adjust salt and chilli to your own taste and likes.
11. Cook briskly for 15 minutes
12. Take off the heat and add garam masala,and coriander leaves, saving a few leaves for garnish.

Serve hot with Appam,Poori or Plain Paratha or Nan or Tandoori Roti or Chapatti, garnished with remaining coriander leaves.

Notes

• South Indian Style Curry): At step 5 and 6, change the procedure like this; Heat oil. Add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and a handful of curry patta (curry leaves). When mustard seeds splutter, add red chillies,onion, ginger and garlic and proceed as above.
• You can add a couple of boiled potatoes cut into bite size pieces, towards the end.
• You can also serve it with one egg per person, cooked on top of each chickpea portion.
• Slow Cooker Chickpeas: To make chickpeas curry in a slow cooker or crock pot, you need to boil them first. Put the soaked and drained chickpeas, water and a little salt in the cooker. Leave to cook on medium flame for 1-2 hours, until chickpeas are cooked. Make sure that enough water is there in the pot. Meanwhile, make the masala mix as in steps 5 to 9. Add this to the slow cooker, mix, add water if they look dry. Leave to cook on 'low' for further 1 hours, until chickpeas are quite soft. Mash a few with a masher or spoon. This will make your gravy thick.

Chick peas or Kadala curry is a good choice for your healthy diet.