Khatta Chana

Khatta Chana

A very popular dish in North Indian cuisine. Delicious with batura / puri / rotis !!!!

Serves: 3 – 4

Ingredients

For chana:

1 cup (200 ml / 8 oz – Indian standard measuring cup) chana (white chick peas / Kabuli chana)

2 ½ cups water (500 ml)

3 tea bags

2 cinnamon sticks

3 cloves

3 cardamom

1 teaspoon salt

Method

Wash and soak Kabuli channa / white channa for 6-8 hours (or overnight) in 2 1/2 cups water (500 ml). Add salt, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and gently keep tea bags ( to get black color for chana- optional) and pressure cook (pressure cook along with soaked water – Final water level should be 1 – inch above channa / chickpeas) for 30 minutes ( reduce heat from high to medium after 3rd whistle (3 quick whistles) and cook for 25 minutes ). Allow to cool naturally. Open the lid and remove tea bags, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Reserve ½ cup (75 – 100 ml) stock for later use.

Other ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, very finely sliced

2 tablespoon ginger – garlic paste

¾ teaspoon red chilli powder

1 ½ teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Boiled chana along with reserved stock

¾ to 1 teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur powder) or 50 ml (3 tablespoon) tamarind juice or ¾ teaspoon diluted in 3 tablespoon water (50 ml) or soak small lemon sized tamarind in half cup water and extract 50 ml tamarind extract – do not add tomato puree

1 teaspoon rice flour and 2 tablespoon water

Extra salt to taste

2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Dilute rice flour and 2 tablespoon water in a small bowl or in a katori and make a smooth solution. Adding rice flour will make a thick and creamy gravy.

Dilute red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder in 2 tablespoon water and keep aside (spice mix).

Heat oil in a wide pan. Add onion and fry until golden color on a medium heat.

Add ginger – garlic paste and stir well on a low heat for 2 – 3 minutes until the raw smell goes.

Add diluted spice mix and stir well for 2- 3 minutes until the raw smell goes and well combined with other ingredients.

Add boiled chana (along with the stock - may be ½ cup (75 – 100 ml), amchur powder / tamarind juice / extract , diluted rice flour and salt to taste (If adding amchur powder, add extra 50 - 75 ml water. Not more than 1/2 cup / 100 ml. It won’t be delicious if the gravy is too thin). Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 12 – 15 minutes until the gravy thickens / well coated on chole. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves, decorate with onion rings / lemon wedges when serving with batura / puri / rotis.

Whole wheat ( atta ) flour Batura

Makes: 14 - 16

Ingredients

1 ½ cup / 300 ml whole wheat ( atta ) (Please measure in Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

90 ml curd

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon oil

Extra 50 ml - 75 ml water

Oil for deep frying ( approximately 300 ml oil )

Method

In a wide bowl, mix sugar, salt, oil and curd. Add flour into it. Mix well until it forms like bread crumbs. First start with ¼ cup water and make a soft dough. Add extra 1 – 2 tablespoon water if required to make a soft dough.

Keep aside, covered for 2 hours ( recommending to keep in a Tupperware container / box ). Or Cover with a soft wet towel over the dough.

Knead the batura dough again and divide into 14 – 16 portions. Flatten them to make rounds ( just like puri) with the help of little dry flour.

In a kadai, heat oil. Reduce heat to medium (please wait for 1 minute. Otherwise batura will get brown color immediately) and fry batura one at a time till it puffs up. Turn over till both sides are golden color. Drain on paper towels and serve with khatta chana / chhole or any gravy dishes of your choice.