Channa masala, an impressive fairly dry and spicy dish with a sour tangy taste made with chickpeas. It is a popular Punjabi dish commonly known as chole masala or channa and mostly cooked in Indian and Pakistani cuisines.
- Soak chana in water overnight or to cook the same day soak them in warm water for at least 5-6 hours.
- Pressure cook chole and drain the chole, reserve the liquid.
- Heat oil in a deep saucepan and add cumin seeds, whole garam masala (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, mace, black cardamom).
- When the cumin seeds change colour, add chopped onion, salt to it and saute until they are brown.
- Add the turmeric powder, Ginger-garlic paste to it and saute for a couple of minutes.
- Add all the tomatoes, green chillies, dry chana masala powders to it and saute add salt, sautethe tomatoes till they are soft and mushed up.
- Add the chana to the mixture before that pour the cooked chana water and mix gently so that chole are properly coated in the mixture.
- Add the reserved water depending on the gravy you need, check and adjust the seasoning.
- Simmer the stove and cook, covered for 5-6 minutes and garnish it with cilantro leaves.
Serve it with bhatura, puri or chapatti with sliced onion and lemon wedge by the side chole batura is just awesome - make it a point to make it soon