Oil-Free Kabuli Chana (Garbanzo Bean/ Chick Pea in a Spicy Gravy)

Printable version here.

Chana/ Chole is one thing that keeps finding its way to our table in one dish or the other. There is something about its buttery taste and soft texture that enhances the flavours whichever way it is cooked.

Here is one recipe, that I often use, which cooks up a very tasty Kabuli Chana without the use of any oil. The recipe was copied from a magazine, many years ago, and I have made minor adjustments to suit our taste.

Ingredients:

1 cup chana/ chole (garbanzo beans/ chickpeas)

½ cup grated onion

¼ cup blanched and chopped tomato

1 tbsp ginger julienne

½ tsp garlic paste

¾ tsp cumin powder

¾ tsp coriander powder

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp chilli powder (or to taste)

½ tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste

chopped coriander laves, for garnishing


Method:

Soak the chana/ chole overnight and cook till soft but firm. Take a handful of the chana and mash well. Keep aside.

Heat a non-stick pan or kadai. Add the cumin, coriander and turmeric powders and lightly roast for less than a minute. Take care they do not burn.
Quickly add the grated onion, chopped tomato, ginger julienne, garlic paste and chilli powder along with a quarter cup of water. Mix well an allow to cook for about 5 minutes till the water evaporates, while stirring occasionally. By now the raw smell of the onion should have disappeared. If not add about 2 tbsps of water and cook till the water has almost evaporated, again stirring frequently.
Now and add the cooked chana, salt and a cup of water and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes till some of the water evaporates. Add the mashed chana and the garam masala and simmer for a few minutes till the Kabuli Chana has a thick gravy.

Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with pooris, chappathis or rice.
This recipe serves four.

(The coriander garnish is missing in this particular picture because I ran out of coriander the day this was taken!)


Another Blog:

Rachel of Tangerine’s Kitchen and I both enjoy baking. While talking sometime back, we were discussing this and came up with the idea of baking together. So we decided to try out baking, while following the same recipe at a time, and compare notes .
Do join us in our fortnightly experiences while discovering the world, one bake at a time, at The World In Our Oven.

I’m also taking this opportunity to say a “thank you” to Srimathi of Few Minute Wonders who has honored my blog with a Brilliante Weblog award. I appreciate this very much.

Finally, just a reminder that the deadline for MBP: Fruit Fare is the 25th of August.