Kala Chana Masala
This one pot dish brings together onions, tomatoes, black chickpeas and ground spices. It's healthy and is sure to give you a spoonful of yummy flavors.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 cup kala (black) channa
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 2 tomatoes (pureed)
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp chole masala powder
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi
- 1 tsp anardhana powder (powder made from dried pomegranate seeds)
- ½ tsp sugar (optional)
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ cup oil
- salt to taste
- 2 cups water
- 1 tea bag (tea leaves give dark color to channa)
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash chickpeas and add to a slow cooker. Add water and tea bag to cooker.
- Cook on high for 8 hours. Remove the tea bag after 1 hour.
- After 8 hours, check to see if chickpeas are cooked. If not, cook for a little longer and set aside.
- Add oil in a heavy bottom pan. When hot add cumin seeds.
- When cumin seeds turn golden brown add onion and saute until raw smell fades.
- Then add ginger garlic paste and saute until raw smell fades.
- Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chole masala, chili powder, and tomato puree. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add salt, garam masala and anardhana powder.
- Cook until raw smell fades and masala no longer stick to the sides of the pan.
- Coarsely grind ¼ cup of cooked chickpeas in a food processor or using a masher and set aside.
- Add the remaining cooked chickpeas to the pan and mix.
- Add the ground chickpeas to the pan. Mix well and adjust spice and salt as needed.
- Add water if masala is too thick.
- Add kasuri methi and sugar. Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes.
- Serve hot with naan or roti.
Notes
- To cook the chickpeas in a pressure cooker: Soak black chickpeas in water for at least 6-8 hours or overnight. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.