Chole masala

Chole masala, also known as chana masala is a delicious & flavorful Indian curry made by cooking chickpeas in a spicy onion tomato masala gravy. It can be eaten with basmati rice, roti, naan, poori, bhatura and plain parathas or even with flavored rice like jeera rice or ghee rice.

Ingredients

• 1 cup white chick peas/chana, soaked
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon
• 2 cardamom
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1.5 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp chana masala
• 1 tsp jeera powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp kasuri methi
• 1/2 cup tea decoction
• 1 cup water
• For tempering :
  • 1 tsp ghee/oil
  • 1 tsp ginger, julienned
  • 2 green chilies, thinly sliced

Method

• Wash and soak white chick peas/chana in water overnight or for 7 – 8 hours.
• Keep tea decoction ready (boil same amount of tea dust and water for about two to five minutes) and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add bay leaf, cinnamon and cardamom after few seconds add onion, sauté until translucent. Add salt to taste. fry until golden brown.
• Next add masala powders : red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, chana masala, jeera powder fry until brown.
• Further add tomatoes, sauté for 3 minutes. Add kasuri methi and soaked chana. Mix well.
• Add tea decoction and 1 cup water. Mix well. Cover and pressure cook for 15 minutes or until the chana is cooked perfectly.
• Open cooker lid once the pressure releases. Check if the chana is cooked well. Add water if required to adjust the consistency.
• For tempering, Heat oil or ghee in a separate pan, add green chilies and ginger sauté for 2 seconds.
• Pour the tempering over the cooked chana. Mix well. Serve with Poori or Bhatura