Channa Chole

Channa Chole

Channa in kannada is called as Kabul Kadlekalu. I dont know why it always reminded me of kabuliwala story, we had read in our primary school. Anyone remember the Kabuliwala story. I dont remember much of the story, except for the child and the guy kabuliwala.

Channa was usually made with other veggies like cabbage or as husali to make dry palya or sidedish. Having spent some time with North Indian friends, finally I got hold of the recipe. Everytime I made this, it tasted different. No! its not the recipe's fault. Its just my memory :). Last time when I prepared, it really came out good. Immediately I had noted down the recipe.

This Wednesday, we had major snow blizzard. So worked from home. For dinner, I revisted this recipe and it turned out the same taste. Enjoy my recipe with hot chapathi, rotis, pooris...

I have also posted some photos I took during snow blizzard.

Ingredients
Channa – 2 cups (Soak in water)
Onions: 2
Ginger: ¼ inch
Garlic: 2 pieces
Cinnamon: ½ inch
Cloves: 2
Kasuri methi: 2 Tsp
Pepper corns: 6
Green Chilies: 2
Chat masala: ¼ tsp
Garam masala: 1 tsp
Curry/Red Chili Powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric: ½ tsp
Bay/Briyani leaves: 2
Potatoes – (optional)
Salt to taste:

Directions:
1. If using the fresh channa, pressure cook channa separately, so that they not become mushy but just enough cooked.

2. Mixture 1:Grind 1 ½ Onion, garlic, ginger, pepper, green chilies, cloves, cinnamon in a blender. Keep aside
Mixture 2: Blend fistful of cooked channa for gravy and set aside.

3. Heat oil in pressure cooker/deep pan. Saute remaining onions with bay leaves until brown. Then Add the first blended mixture and fry until they leave the sides or the raw smells evaporates.

Add potatoes if using them. Fry for another 2 mins. Add garam masala, chat masala, turmeric, Red Chili powder, kasuri methi, salt.
Add the second blended mixture of channa gravy and cook in cooker/pan for 10 mins.

Add the boiled or canned channa and pressure cook for 10mins.

Serve with rice or poories or rotis.

Snow Blizzard