Punjabi chole masala recipe

Punjabi chole masala

Punjabi chole masala recipe

             I prepare channa masala atleast once a week as my kids love it. I sometimes prepare Dry Channa Masala | Masala Senagalu or Aloo chana masala in pressure cooker as it is easy and needs no attention.  I have never cooked chole with tea bags as I have kids and prefer to keep them away from consuming tea in any form.  Using tea bags while cooking chick peas aid in better digestion and gives a dark color to the channa. if you wish to use them, just drop them in the pressure cooker along with chole and discard the bag and stock once cooked.

please note: if you use anardana powder, it doesn't become soft even after cooking and it will still be hard and remains in the mouth while eating, not many will like this. so alternately can use amchur powder * update

Punjabi chana masala

Ingredients

1 ½ cups of soaked kabuli chana (measure after they are soaked as they double in size)

1 to 2 tea bags (optional)

1 “ piece of ginger crushed or grated

¼ tsp turmeric

¾ cup of onions chopped

1/3 cup of chopped tomatoes

1 tsp red chili powder (can increase by ½ tsp)

3 to 4 tbsps of oil (can reduce to 2)

1 tsp of garam masala (optional, I did not use)

1 tsp amchur powder or anardana powder (adjust as per your taste, it can become too sour) *updated

Dry roast and powder (it is almost the same as my homemade biryani masala powder with an addition of nutmeg and star anise, so can use 1 tsp of this )

1 bay leaf

3 tbsps coriander seeds

1 ½ tsps. cumin jeera

¾ tsp pepper corn

4 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 black cardamom

2 green cardamoms

2 red chilies(I did not use as it it difficult to make a fine powder in the mixer)

Method

1.   Soak chana for atleast 6 to 8 hrs in lot of water. soaking for longer helps in better digestion and chana turn out to be soft too

2.   Lightly dry roast all the spices except cumin. Add cumin to the hot pan at the end this way it doesn’t burn. cool and powder. set aside

3.   Wash thoroughly and pressure cook with ½ cup of water till soft. I pressure cook for 1 whistle. make sure not to make them mushy.  you can cook it directly in a pan till soft. reserve the stock and use it for cooking at the last step

4.   Heat a deep pan with oil, add crushed ginger and sauté till you get a aroma

5.   Add onions and fry till they turn transparent

6.   Add tomatoes, salt and turmeric. cook till the tomatoes turn fully mushy

7.   Add red chili powder, powdered masala , anardana and garam masala if using, fry for a min

8.   Add the cooked chana, mix well

9.   Add the stock that is left from cooking chana. if needed add more water to adjust the consistency. simmer the heat , cook in an open pan for about 10 to 15 mins.

  
             Garnish with grated ginger, green chil, onions, coriander …or . what ever you wish to.