Showing posts with label Black Chana. Show all posts

Monday, July 15, 2019

Chickpeas Naan Wrap | Veg Naan Wrap | Naan Wrap with Chana masala

Chickpeas Naan Wrap, a delicious wrap made from Naan bread and chickpeas masala. This was one of the recent experiment in my kitchen and it turned out way more delicious than i had expected, since then it was included in our regular dinner menu.

Guess it was one day in last month, i soaked more than usual chickpeas for our evening sundal, with the leftover cooked chana, i made this wrap with store brought naan for quick dinner that night, that's how i have been started making this wrap. With cooked chickpeas and naan/any indian flat bread in hands, then you can make this in no time.

Related : How to make Rumali Roti

Here in today's recipe, i have used simple yogurt/curd sauce for the wraps, but mint or coriander chutney can also be used, those combination too tastes equally good. In addition to the chickpeas masala, i have added some raw onion, tomato and cucumber in the wrap for extra freshness, but that are all totally optional, so you can skip that and make it as simple chickpeas wrap.Now let's check out the recipe.

Chickpeas Naan Wrap | Veg Naan Wrap

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Serves : 2
Recipe Category: Wrap | Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients
Cooked Chickpeas - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - few
Naan - 2
For sauce
Curd/Yogurt plain - 1/4 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Sugar -1/2 tsp

Procedure

Chop the onion, tomato into small pieces. Heat the pan with cumin seed, let it splutter, then add the onions with pinch of salt.Cook till the onions became translucent.

Then add the ginger garlic paste and saute till it's aromatic, next add the tomatoes and spices(turmeric, red chili, coriander & garam masala powder) & salt.

Cook till the tomatoes became mushy and the raw smell of spices goes off. Add the cooked chana/chickpeas, mix it all together and let it be in the flame for 5 mins.

Finally add the coriander leaves and switch off the flame. For the sauce mix all the ingredients listed under "For sauce " and keep it ready. Take a naan & place it on the working surface.

Place the chickpeas masala in the center, then add onions and tomatoes as you like.

Next add few pieces of cucumber(optional) and coriander leaves, finally pour the curd mixture as need on the top and roll the naan.

Delicious Naan Wrap with chickpeas masala is ready.

Related: How to make Kulcha

Notes:

In the curd sauce, you can add pinch of chaat masala for more flavor.
Instead of curd sauce, you can use the coriander chutney too or without any sauce/chutney also,it tastes good.
Instead of chickpeas, you can use paneer or/and mix veggie in the same way.
You can make this wrap with roti/ chapathi too.
Canned chickpeas / white chickpeas can also be used.
I have added salt while cooking chickpeas.
Adjust the spices as per your taste.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Black Chana Masala | Chick Peas Curry | Chana Masala

Chana Masala, a chickpeas curry in onion tomato masala.As i have already shared the basic onion tomato masala that you can use in variety of India Curries as base masala. Here in the recipe, i have used the same recipe of base masala and make this chana masala and it turns out super delicious.It goes very well with roti, chapathi or with any Indian flat breads.

Even without coconut or cream, this curry turned out so creamy, if you like chana masala with coconut, then check out the delicious kadala curry here. As i have already mentioned in my onion tomato masala post, you can prepare & store this masala ahead of time,at the time of need, bring the masala to boil and add cooked chana,that's it,your chana masala is ready.

Chana Masala

Preparation Time : 8 hrs for soaking | Cooking Time : 30 mins | Serves : 4
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients
Black Chana - 1/2 cup
Onion(large) - 1
Tomato(medium) - 2
Garlic - 5 pods
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Cumin seed - 1/4 tsp
Fennel seed - 1/4 tsp
Cashew - 5
Oil - 2 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste

Procedure

Soak the chana for overnight or atleast 8 hrs and put it in pressure cooker along with 1/4 tsp of salt & water(just to immerse the chana) and cook it for 3 whistles & keep it aside until use. It should be mushy when pressed it with fingers.

Peel the onions,garlic & ginger and chop them along with tomato roughly into pieces. Heat the pan with 1 tsp of oil, add the cumin & fennel seed let it fry in oil for 30 secs.

Then add the onions, ginger & garlic along with 1/4 tsp of salt and saute till the onions become translucent.

Then add the cashews and tomato and saute till the tomato becomes mushy.Switch off the flame and let it cool completely.

Put the onion & tomato masala into mixie/blender jar and grind them into smooth paste. Heat the pan with remaining oil and add the whole spices(cinnamon, cloves and cardamom),let it fry in oil for 30 secs.

Then add the masala paste and spice powder(turmeric, red chili & coriander powder) and salt.

If needed add some water and cover the pan with lid and cook for 8-10 mins in medium flame. By the time, the raw smell of the masala is gone,open the lid and keep in low flame until the oil separates on the top. Finally add the garam masala & mix well.(That's it, this is your base masala,you can store this for later use too.)

Now add the chana along with the cooked water(transfer the masala to bigger pot for easy stirring) and let it be in flame for 5 mins,finally add coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

That's it,Tasty & Creamy Chana masala is ready.

Notes:

Cook the masala till oil separates before adding chana.
Chana should be mushy when pressed between fingers.
If the tomatoes have more tartness, add a tsp of sugar in the masala to balance the gravy.
Use well ripe tomatoes and good quality chili powder to get bright colors.

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Kadala Curry | Kerala Kadala Curry | Black Chana Masala with coconut

Kadala curry, a delicious and flavorful curry made with black chickpeas and coconut masala. In Kerala, this kadala curry is usually paired either with puttu or appam.

Puttu paired with kadala curry is definitely a match made in heaven.Though i grew up eating puttu as breakfast for at least once in a week, we usually had with sugar and banana or sometimes had with green gram sundal.

This Puttu and kadala curry combination was introduced to me when we were in Bangalore. When we were there, a new Kerala restaurant("Thalassery Restaurant") was opened just opposite our building.

In the early morning itself, they started to make puttu with puttu maker in the small veranda in front of the restaurant and i loved to watch them making from our balcony and it's really tempted me, so one day, for morning breakfast we bought their famous breakfast combo puttu & kadala curry.

It was so good and I liked their curry more than the puttu. Their curry was coconut based and slightly yellow in contrast to the northern chana masala curry and also had small bits of coconut in the curry and it really enhanced the taste when I had it with puttu. Later on, it's been our favorite take out item from that restaurant just for their kadala curry !

After coming to the US, I had a bad craving for that kadala curry for a while, so i tried it on my own with the taste that i remember. After a few trials, I'm able to replicate the closest taste of that restaurant and it's simply divine with the puttu or idiyappam or appam !

Now let's check on how to make this delicious kadala curry !

Kadala Curry

Preparation Time : 8 hrs for soaking | Cooking Time : 30 mins | Serves : 4 or 5
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients
Black Chana - 1 cup
Pearl Onion - 12
Tomato - 1
Coconut bits - 2 to 3 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few
Salt - to taste
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
To roast & grind
Red chili - 4
Coriander seed - 2 tsp(1 tsp of coriander powder)
Fennel seed - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
Cloves - 3
Cardamom - 2
Coconut - 1/4 cup tightly packed
Garlic - 2

Procedure

Soak the chana overnight or minimum 8 hrs and put in the pressure along with water and salt and cook it for 5 whistle.

In the mean time dry roast the ingredients, heat the pan, add red chili,cinnamon,cloves,cardamom,fennel seed and coriander seed(as i have no stock of coriander seed, i used coriander powder) in the pan and roast till nice aroma comes.Keep it aside, then add the coconut and garlic in the pan.

Roast till it all the moisture from the coconut is gone.Keep it aside and let it cool completely Switch off the flame.In the heated pan add the coriander powder and roast it slightly and add into other roasted ingredients.

To make coconut bits, take a pieces of coconut as shown below in pic and cut into thin strips.Then peal the pearl onion and cut into small pieces and tomato into small pieces.

Once the pressure is released from the pressure cooker, check whether it's cooked,it should be mushy when pressed between you fingers.Heat the kadai with oil and add the mustard, let the mustard splutter.

Add onions & curry leaves, saute till the onions becomes translucent,then add the tomatoes & saute .

Add the coconut bits & turmeric powder and saute till the tomato becomes mushy.

Grind the roasted ingredients into smooth paste and add it. Add enough water and make the consistency as per your liking.

Add the cooked chana & salt(remember we already added while cooking chana)just to the masala and give a good mix.

Let it comes to boil and keep the flame in medium for 7-8 mins or until the raw smell leaves,finally add the coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

Serve it with Kuzha Puttu and appalam or even with chapathi also it tastes good.

Related: More puttu & idiyappam varieties

Notes:

Roasting coriander powder gives the same aroma as of roasting coriander seed and grind them as powder.
If you want more flavor, add 1/2 tsp of garam masala at the end.
Biting coconut bits in between the curry tastes so good, highly recommend to add it.
Coconut oil gives great flavor to the curry.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Kondakadalai Sundal | Black Channa Sundal | Karuppu Kondakadalai Sundal | Evening Snacks

Kondakadalai Sundal, an easy and healthy snack made from the black channa. I make this sundal frequently as an evening snack or as an offering to god on any auspicious day.

Sundal is a generic term used in Tamilnadu for the cooked and tempered legumes. The tempering for the sundal is mostly a simple one with little oil , mustard, urad dal and curry leaves. To enhance the taste of the sundal, grated coconut and spice mix can also be used.

I grew up eating sundal with simple tempering and freshly grated coconut and for me it's the best version of sundal so mostly i do the same for all types of sundal.

Now let's check out how to make this delicious kondakadalai sundal.

Kondakadalai Sundal

Preparation Time : 10 to 12 hrs | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Serves: 3
Recipe Category: Snack | Recipe Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients
Kondakadalai / Black channa / Kala channa - 3/4 cup
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard & urad dal - 1/4 tsp each
Curry leaves - few
Red chili - 1
Grated Coconut - 3 tbsp

Procedure

Soak the kondakadalai for 10 to 12 hrs. Drain the soaked water, add it it in pressure cooker along with water(just enough to cover the kondakadalai).

Add salt to taste,cover the cooker with lid, put on weight and cook it for 3 whistle.

Kondakadalai should be soft when press it with fingers.Heat the kadai with oil, add mustard, let it splutter, then add urad dal, red chili(break into half) & curry leaves one by one.

Saute it, till the urad dal slightly changes its color, then add the cooked channa along with cooked water.

Let it be in high flame for few mins, till the added water gets evaporated, then reduce the flame, add the grated coconut, give a good mix and switch off the flame.

Tasty and healthy Kondakadalai Sundal is ready.

Related : How to make Verkadalai Sundal / Peanut Sundal

Notes:

Black chana requires more soaking time than normal chana.
Salt will not be absorbed by chana after cooking,so add salt, while cooking the chana itself.
I left with 11/2 to 2 tbsp of cooked water of chana, so i added it along with chana while tempering.If you have more cooked water,add the enough & discard the remaining.
Adding the cooked water while tempering helps the chana to avoid dry easily and also it helps channa to absorb the spiciness from chili.

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Monday, July 15, 2019