Chana Masala / Chole masala

Chana masala is a traditional Punjabi cuisine. Also know as Chole masala, this recipe is made using boiled Kabuli chana or Garbanzo beans and some spices (garam masala). This recipe goes well with bhatura, puri or even bread or rice.

Ingredients:

1 cup Kabuli chana
1 bay leaf
1 large onion (grated)
1 medium tomato
1/2 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp coriander pwdr
1 tsp red chilli pwdr
2 tblsp chana masala pwdr
1 tea bag
water
salt to taste
oil

Method:

 Step 1
Wash and soak Kabuli chana in water for 5-6 hrs. Then in a pressure cooker add the chana and water (water level should be little above the chana) with salt and one tea bag. Let it whistle.

Step 2
In a saucepan add oil and bay leaf.
Once its nice hot add grated onion and salt. Mix and cook well until the raw smell of onion goes away.
Then to that add ginger garlic paste.
Give it a mix and once everything turns brown add in the diced tomatoes and close it with the lid on medium flame.
Once the tomatoes are all melted, lower the flame and add the dry spices coriander powder, red chilli powder and chana masala powder and give it a mix. Let all the masala cook on low flame for minute or so.
Now remove the tea bag and add in the boiled chana with water to the gravy.
 Let the chana simmer in the gravy for few minutes so that it absorbs all the masala from it.And then garnish it with few finely chopped coriander leaves.
Chana masala is all done.Serve with puri, bhatura or rice.

Pictorial:

In a heated pan add oil then add bay leaf, stir for seconds then add grated onion. Saute until raw smell goes away.

                                                                 

Then add ginger garlic paste.Mix for few seconds and then add chopped tomatoes.

                                                                 

Saute until all the tomatoes get melted. Then add all the dry ingredients and mix well on low flame.

Add little leftover water from boiled chole,and let it cook for 1-2 minutes.

Then add chana to the masala, stir well and let it simmer for few minutes or until the gravy is to the right consistency.

Notes:

1. Soak chana overnight for best result.
2. At any given point of time do not apply alot of pressure while stirring the chana.
3. You can skip tea bag, if u don't want garbanzo beans to be black in colour.