Aloo Chana (Kurma Style Chickpea Potato Curry)

• servings: 3 servings
• active time: 25 minutes
• total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

2 cup boiled chickpeas (or 1 – 15 oz. can chickpeas or ½ cup dried chickpeas, read notes)

1 large (225 g, ½ lb) potatoes (diced to 1½ inch, boil if using a pan, read notes)

3 tablespoons oil

1 cup (120 grams) onions ( (sliced or chopped, 1 medium)

1 to 2 green chilies ( (slit, omit for low heat)

1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (or ½ inch ginger & 3 garlic cloves crushed/minced)

¾ cup (125 grams) chopped tomatoes (1 medium, deseeded, peeled if preferred)

2 to 3 tablespoons mint leaves (chopped pudina, about 15 to 20)

⅓ cup yogurt ( (thick curd, omit for a vegan version)

¼ teaspoon turmeric

¾ to 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (adjust to taste)

¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala (adjust to taste)

1 teaspoon salt ( (¼ tsp more to adjust)

2 tablespoons coriander leaves ( (or 1 tsp kasuri methi or both)

¾ cup water/stock ( (use chickpea cooked stock if possible)

½ cup water ( (only for instant pot)

⅓ cup grated raw coconut ( (or ⅓ cup thick canned coconut milk)

10 cashew nuts (or 1 tablespoon nut butter or fried gram)

1 teaspoon fennel seeds ( (¾ tsp ground fennel)

½ cup water (omit if using substitutes)

1 small bay leaf (or 1 sprig curry leaves (or both)

1 star anise

1 strand mace

½ teaspoon shahi jeera (/ caraway or cumin seeds (jeera)

3 green cardamoms

3 cloves

3 inch cinnamon piece (1 inch if using cassia)

Directions

Add coconut, cashews, fennel seeds and water to a small grinder and make a smooth paste. Keep aside.

How to Make Aloo Chana

Heat oil a pan or instant pot (on sauté mode) and add the whole spices. When they begin to sizzle, add curry leaves and onions.

Saute until they turn golden. Add ginger garlic and green chili. Saute for 1 minute and add tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes break down to a mush.

Stir in the salt, turmeric, chili powder and garam masala. Add mint leaves and saute until aromatic for 1 to 2 mins.

Add yogurt and cook down for 2 to 3 mins. Mix in boiled chickpeas, potatoes, stock/water and coconut. (Note use boiled potatoes if using a normal pan/pot & use raw potatoes only to cook in IP).

Stovetop: Bring it to a gentle boil. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 mins, until thick and aromatic. If it turns too thick, add a splash of hot water.

Instant pot: Pour half cup water. Cover the Instant pot and pressure cook for 5 mins. The IP beeps when it is done, press cancel and wait for 2 mins. Gently release the pressure manually.

Aloo chana is done when the chickpeas and potatoes are tender and very soft. The gravy is slightly runny at this stage but turns thick after cooling. Taste test and add more salt or garam masala or kasuri methi if you want.

Garnish Aloo Chana with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with plain rice, ghee rice, pulao, chapati, roti or dosa.

Nutrition

• Calories: 365 kcal
• Total Fat: 22 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
• Trans Fat: 0.1 g
• Cholesterol: 3 mg
• Sodium: 935 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 35 g
• Dietary Fiber: 11 g
• Total Sugars: 9 g
• Protein: 10 g