Cholle Bhature (Chana Masala) Chickpeas curry Recipe

PREP TIME-9 hours
COOK TIME-30 mins

TOTAL TIME-9 hours 30 mins
INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)
for pressure cooking the chickpeas:

• 1 cup dried white chickpeas/kabuli chana or 180 grams of dried white chickpeas
• 3 cups water for pressure cooking the chana
• ½ tsp salt
• for roasting the masala:
• ¾ to 1 cup fresh grated coconut
• 1 inch cinnamon/dal chini
• ½ tbsp fennel/saunf
• ½ tbsp cumin seeds/jeera
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds/sabut dhania
• 2 dry red chilies (3 or 4 chilies would make the dish spicy)
• 2-3 cloves/lavang
• 1 black cardamom/badi elachi
• 2 green cardamom/chotti elachi
• 4 to 5 whole black pepper
• 1 small piece of stone flower/dagad phool (optional)
• other ingredients:
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 small bay leaf/tej patta
• ½ tsp mustard seeds/rai
• 10-12 curry leaves/kadi patta
• 1 green chili, slit
• 50 grams onion, 1 medium onion or ⅓ cup chopped onion
• 80 grams tomatoes, 1 medium tomato or just about ½ cup chopped tomato
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• ¼ or ½ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
• a pinch of asafoetida/hing
• ½ inch ginger + 2-3 garlic - crushed or made into a paste in mortar-pestle, about 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 cup stock or stock+water
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
• salt as required

INSTRUCTIONS
cooking the chickpeas:

• first rinse the 1 cup chana/dried chickpeas for a couple of times in water. then soak the chickpeas in enough water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours.
• drain the water. rinse the chanas again for a couple of times.
• again drain and add the soaked chanas in a pressure cooker.
• add ½ tsp salt. add 3 cups water.
• stir and pressure cook the chana for 18 to 20 whistles on medium to high flame.
• if cooking in a pot, then add about 3.5 to 4 cups water with salt to the chickpeas. cover and cook the chickpeas till they softened.

preparing the masala:

• when the chickpeas are cooking, in a pan or skillet, on a low flame dry roast the spices mentioned under the "roasting the masala" list, till they become fragrant. roast all spices except coconut.
• then add ½ cup tightly packed grated coconut to the spices and begin to roast.
• stir continuously while roasting the coconut, so that there is uniform browning.
• roast till the coconut become golden. remove the pan and allow the this mixture to cool.
• once the coconut-spice mixture is cooled, add them to wet grinder. remove the husk from the black cardamom and just add its seeds in the grinder.
• add ⅔ to ¾ cup water and grind to a smooth paste. keep aside.
• preparing the chana masala gravy or curry:
• heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan.
• add ½ tsp mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
• then add tejpatta and stir.
• add ⅓ cup chopped onion.
• stir and saute till the onions turn translucent and soften.
• then add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, ¼ tsp turmeric power, a pinch of asafoetida and 10-12 curry leaves.
• stir and saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic disappears.
• add ½ cup chopped tomato. saute for about 2 to 3 minutes till the tomatoes soften.
• add the ground masala paste. stir very well.
• then add the drained chanas. stir again well and saute for a minute.
• now add 1 cup stock or stock+water and 1 or 2 slit green chilies.
• season with salt as required. do keep a check on salt as the stock already has salt.
• give a boil and then simmer for 12-15 minutes on a low to medium flame or more till the gravy thickens a bit and you see some oil floating on top. mash a few chickpeas with the sides of the spoon to thicken the gravy. check the seasoning and add more salt as per your taste.
• switch off the flame & lastly add 2 tbsp coriander leaves. stir well.
• serve chana masala hot with pooris, chapatis, bread or steamed rice accompanied with lemon & onion slices.