Chana Masala / Chole / Spicy Chickpeas Curry

The mouthwatering Punjabi dishes have become synonymous to north Indian cuisine among the Indian restaurants world wide.This chole or chana masala is one of the ubiquitously found and most popular one among the above genre. Depending upon the cooking methods, there may be slight variations in the flavor and the color of the dish but the basic idea remains the same. Call it chole masala / chana masala / Punjabi chole, cooked garbanzo beans are served in a spicy tomato - onion base and is a truly delectable one for spicy food lovers.
It is a surprise that I haven't posted this chole recipe yet considering the fact that it is prepared at least twice a month in my home. It is a favorite of mine and my son's. Anyhow better late than never and here goes the recipe, my style.

Ingredients: (Yield 4 servings)
1.5 cups garbanzo beans / chana
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp grated ginger / ginger paste as needed (I usually use 2 small chunks of ginger and grind it at the end along with some onion- tomato sauce.)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 onions, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp chana masala powder (Any good quality store brought powder will do.)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder (optional)
1 tsp kasoori methi
Cilantro to garnish

Method:
* Soak garbanzo beans overnight in plenty of water. Throw away the soaked water in the morning and rinse the soaked beans well with fresh water. Place the drained beans in a pressure cooker with enough water to cover them. Cook until tender. Alternatively, the beans can be cooked in a sauce pan too but it takes longer.
* In the mean time, heat the oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they start to turn brown, add ginger, onion and turmeric powder. Stir and cook until the onion turns transparent. Next add the tomatoes and cook until they turn mushy.
* If you prefer gravy, take out a small portion of cooked onion - tomato mixture and a few Tbsps of cooked beans. Grind the mixture adding a little water if needed.
* Now add this ground paste, the rest of the cooked garbanzo beans, salt, chili powder, coriander powder and chana masala powder to the onion - tomato sauce. Add some water if needed. You can use the water used to cook the beans. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add kasoori methi, stir once and let it simmer for a few minutes, for the flavors to mingle.
* Garnish with cilantro and green chillies if desired. Serve with roti / bhature / naans.

Note:
1. Even canned garbanzo beans can be used if you have time constraints but remember to wash the beans thoroughly before using.
2. Soaked beans can be put in freezer in advance so that they come handy while cooking. A better option would be to freeze the cooked beans. However remember to cool the beans immediately after cooking and freeze.

Linking this to blogging marathon #12 under "delicious dals" theme. Check out the Blogging Marathon page to find out what other marathoners have been cooking.
Today is the last day of marathon and here is a recap of what I posted so far -

Under "Something Sweet" theme
Day 1 - Carrot - Apple Muffins
Day 2 - Kesar Sandesh / Sondesh 
Day 3 - Chocolate Chip - Oatmeal Cookies 
Day 4 - Microwave Apple Crisp
Day 5 - Blackberry Cobbler
Day 6 - Dates - Coconut Kheer
Day 7 - Eggless Banana - Semolina Cake

Under "Delicious Dals" theme
Day 1 - Masoor Dal Khichdi (Masoordal)
Day 2 - Dalia - Cilantro Chutney Podi (Dalia & Urad)
Day 3 - Chayote Kootu (Chana dal)
Day 4 - Alasanda - Vankaya Pulusu (Chori beans)
Day 5 - Dry Sweet Pongal (Moong Dal)
Day 6 - Moong Sprouts - Aloo Tikki (Green gram)

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