Chole Masala

 

Ingredients

Chana - 3/4 cup
Big Onion - 1 small sized chopped finely
Red Chilli Powder - 1.5 tsp
Coriander powder - 3/4 tsp
Garam masala (or) Chana Masala powder - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - just to garnish
Lemon juice - from half a lemon
Water - 2.5 cups in total
Salt - to taste

To saute and grind:

Oil - 2 tsp
Tomatoes - 3 medium sized chopped roughly
Big Onion - 1 medium sized chopped roughly
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 6 cloves
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Pepper - 1/2 tsp

To temper:

Oil - 1.5 tbsp
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
Cloves - 2
Bayleaf - 1/2

Method:

1. Soak chana overnight or atleast for 8 hours.Pressure cook chana with enough water(say 1.5 cups) for 5 whistles or until soft,Set aside.In a pan heat oil - add onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and saute till mushy and raw smell of tomatoes leaves. Allow it to cool, then add fennel seeds and pepper corns along with this in a mixer
2. Grind it to a fine paste.Set aside. In a pressure cooker heat oil - add the items under 'to temper' then add onions and fry till golden brown.Then add the tomato onion paste.
3. Add the spice powders, mix well.Once the raw smell of masalas leave add chana along with the cooked water to this mixture and pressure cook for 1 whistle in medium flame.Add required salt.
4. Once done, open and add more water if the gravy is too thick - I added remaining 1 cup water and allowed it to boil in sim for 5mins.Once oil seperates and desired consistency is reached, Garnish with coriander leaves,lemon juice and switch off.
5. Serve hot with bhatura / rotis!