Creamy Chana Masala

Ingredients (Serves 6)

1. White chana – 1.25 cup, soaked in enough water for around 8 hrs

2. Baking soda – 1/2 tsp

Salt – 1/2 tsp or as required

Water – As required

3. Butter / Oil – 1.5  tbsp

4. Onion – 1 medium, thinly sliced

5. Ginger and garlic – 1 tbsp each, sliced

Green chilly – 1, chopped

6. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Chilly powder – 3/4 tsp

Coriander powder – 3/4 tsp

7.  Tomato – 1 large, chopped

8. Oil / butter – 2 tsp

9. Cumin seeds – 1 pinch

10. Garam masala powder – 1/4 – 1/2 tsp

Sugar – 1 pinch

11. Kasoori methi – 1/2 tsp

Chat masala – 1 – 2 pinches

Butter – 1 tbsp

Green chilies – 3 – 4, diagonally sliced

Heavy cream – 1 tbsp (optional)

12. Cilantro / coriander leaves – 2 – 3 tbsp, chopped

13. Salt – To taste

Method

1. In a pressure cooker, add white chana, 1/2 tsp baking soda (added to make it soft), salt and enough water. Cook for a whistle or two until chana turns nice and soft.

2. Heat oil in a kadai and add sliced onion and little salt. Saute until onion turns transparent. Add ginger, garlic and green chilli. Continue to saute until onion turns light golden. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder and coriander powder. Cook fora minute or two over low heat until their raw smell leaves. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until tomato turns mushy and oil separates. Switch off. Set aside to cool. Grind to a fine paste in the small jar of a blender.

3. Heat 2 tsp oil / butter in the same kadai. When hot, add cumin seeds and wait until they crackle. Add the ground paste, 1/4 tsp garam masala powder, a pinch of sugar and cook for a few minutes. Add cooked chana and 1/2 – 1 cup hot water. Add salt, to taste. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 8 – 10 minutes. Add kasoori methi, 1 – 2 pinches of chat masala, 1 tbsp butter, diagonally sliced green chilies and cilantro. You can add a tbsp of heavy cream if you like. Mix well and switch off the flame. Add 1 – 2 tsp fresh lemon juice (optional) . Mix well. Serve after 15 minutes. Tastes best with poori / batura / chapathi or naan. Serve with chopped onion and lemon wedges.