Black chana kurma

Kala chana is one of the nutritious legumes packed with proteins. This recipe is a simple and lovely to include black chana in your regular menu. We in home love black chana and this is one dish I do often. Pairs well with roti, paratha and pulao. 

Ingredients

1 cup black chana (soaked overnight)

1 small onion

1 big tomato

2 bay leaves

1 ts ginger garlic paste

2 ts kuzhambu podi/ curry powder

Few curry leaves

Finely chopped coriander leaves

To grind

2 ts grated coconut

1 ts kasa kasa

1 ts fennel seed

2 cloves

1 ts coriander seeds

Few boiled black chana (optional)

Grind them to a smooth paste with little water.

Preparation

- Soak black/ kala chana overnight. In a pressure cooker add black chana with enough water and salt. Cook for 2 whistles in high flame and for another whistle in simmer. You may add a pinch of baking soda along with water and salt to help keep the chana soft. I sometimes add baking soda while cooking hard legumes like rajma, chole and black chana to make them soft. It also helps them cook faster if you have soaked the legumes only for a short time.

- Heat oil in a kadai. Once they turn hot add bay leaves and thinly sliced onions. Saute till they turn translucent.

- Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute until its raw smell fades away.

- Next add the chopped tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Cook till the tomatoes become mushy.

- Add curry leaves and the kuzhambu podi. Add required salt.

- Add the ground paste.

- Now add in the cooked  chana along with its water. Give everything a good mix.

- Allow the curry to boil over. Then keep the kadai covered in simmer and cook till the gravy thickens to your desired level.

- Finally add the finely chopped coriander leaves.