Dry chana recipe

• servings: 3 servings
• active time: 5 minutes
• total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups chickpeas (cooked, or 1 cup dry chana)

½ tsp red chili powder (adjust to taste)

1 sprig curry leaves

1 pinch asafoetida (hing)

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 green chili (slit or chopped)

⅛ tsp turmeric (or as needed)

½ tsp mustard seeds (optional)

½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

1 tbsp oil (or ghee)

½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)

1 tsp garam masala (or kitchen king masala)

Directions

Cooking chana

Soak chana overnight or 8 hours. Drain and rinse them well.

Add them to a pressure cooker or pot along with turmeric. To cook them faster, you can also add a pinch of soda-bi-carbonate. This is optional.

If using pressure cooker, pour 1 cup water. If not using soda, pressure cook for 6 to 8 whistles on a medium heat. With soda, pressure cook just for 1 to 2 whistles. If cooking in a pot, start with 2 cups water. Add more if needed as you cook them.

They are ready when they are completely cooked, soft and tender. Chana should not be al dente but should be soft enough yet hold their shape.

Making dry chana

Heat the pan with oil, add mustard, jeera, chili, curry leaves & hing. Let them splutter.

Add ginger garlic paste and saute quickly to remove the raw smell. Add the cooked channa.

Add garam masala, salt, turmeric and red chili powder. Mix well. Saute for a minute. Any left over water from the cooked chickpeas can be poured and evaporated.

Taste test and add more spices and salt to your taste. Transfer dry chana to a serving bowl. Squeeze some lemon juice and serve as a side.

Nutrition

• Calories: 231 kcal
• Total Fat: 7 g
• Sodium: 75 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 31 g
• Dietary Fiber: 9 g
• Total Sugars: 5 g
• Protein: 9 g