Pindi Chana Masala

Pindi Channa Masala is a north Indian Dish. Channa/chole is the Indian name of chickpeas aka garbanzo beans. This is made in almost every North Indian home. Although every home is having its own recipe, this recipe given here is followed widely. I was asked by a friend to add some authentic North Indian recipes to my blog....so here it is.

Ingredients :

Chole/ channa / Garbenzo beans - 1 cup
Chana dal - 2 tbsp
Onion - 1 medium
Tomatoes - 3 medium
mint leaves - 1/2 cup packed
Grated Ginger - 1"
Garlic - 2 cloves Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp
Hing a big pinch
Green Chillies - 2
Salt to taste
Chole masala - 1 1/2 tsp (MDH)
Tea bags - 3
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:
Soak chole  for atleast 6-7 hours.  Make sure to take big vessel and enough water because the chole  almost doubles. Pressure cook it with channa dal and tea bags. Add salt to it. Take care that chole should be properly boiled but not over cooked. 

Make a paste with onions, green chillies and mint leaves. Get ready the paste of tomatoes. Take a heavy bottom pan and add oil. Add cumin seeds. When seeds started crackling, add hing, add finely cut garlic ( you can crush it too), grated ginger. After few seconds add onion paste and salt. Cook on medium heat till the raw smell disappears. Add tomato paste and chole masala, Fry till the oil seprates.
Once this is cooked, add this to the cooker in which we have chole. Mix well. Adjust the salt. Adjust the consistency of chole by adding water. This depends on how thick you want your chole. Give 1-2 whistels. Garnish with onions or onion greens and serve hot.

Note : You can add some fresh lemon juice  or tamarind water to the channa.