Sindhi Style Chole (Sindhi Style Chick peas Curry)

Sindhi style Chole (Sindhi Style Chick peas Curry)

Recipe adapted from 50 great Indian curries by Camellia Panjabi.

Chickpeas come to India with the Kabuliwala, the itinerant dry – fruit trader from Afghanistan and it continue to be called the Kabuli chana. Chickpeas are popular in India's northern regions, and in Pakistan and Afghanistan. This dish can be served with roti, rice or bread as a main dish, or on the side instead of dal, a lentil dish that is often part of Indian meals.

Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients

1 cup (200 g) dried chickpeas (kabuli channa)

3 large onions (1 for adding along with channa when cooking, 1 for the paste with ginger – garlic, 1 for final preparation)

2 black cardamoms

6 cloves

2 cinnamon or bay leaves

12 peppercorns

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon salt

2 pinches hing( asafoetida)

1 - inch fresh ginger, chopped

10 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons tomato puree

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur)

2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Wash and soak Kabuli channa / white channa for 6-8 hours (or overnight) in 2 1/2 cups water (500 ml). Add 1 chopped onion, cumin seeds, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, hing and pressure cook for 30 minutes ( reduce heat to medium after 2 nd whistle and cook for 25 minutes ). Allow to cool naturally. Open the lid. Reserve 1 cup (100 ml) stock for later use.

Make a paste of 1 chopped onion, ginger and garlic in a mixer or blender. Keep aside.

In a separate cooking pot, heat the oil. Add rest of the 1 chopped onion and saute for 10 - 12 minutes on a medium to low heat until deep brown.

Add the onion, ginger and garlic paste and saute for 5 – 6 minutes on a low heat until the raw smell goes and thickens.

Add turmeric, garam masala and coriander powders, pepper and mango powder and stir thoroughly. After 1 minute, add pureed tomato and saute for a few minutes.

Add cooked chickpeas and stir gently. Add reserved water in which the chickpeas were cooked and adjust salt to taste. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a low to medium heat until done / gravy thickens / fragrant / channa well coated with all the spices / tomato puree. Serve with Puri / Batura / Wholewheat / Brown bread … or a side dish instead of dal. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves.