Easy tasty brown chana curry (kadala curry)

Prep time: 20 minutes (with cooked chana)

Serves: 4 adults

Ingredients:

Group 1)

1 cup small brown chana (dry)

- soak in water overnight to yield 2 cups

- rinse and drain in water 3-4 times

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red chilli powder

Group 2)

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 tablespoons coconut oil

Curry leaves (optional)

1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder

1 tablespoon coriander powder

Group 3) 

1/2 medium tomato

1/4 large onion sliced big

1/2 inch ginger peeled & sliced

2 large garlic cloves

Group 4)

80 grams shredded coconut (or 1/6th of a 1lb frozen grated coconut pack, defrosted)

Preparation:

Cooking chana: 

In a small size pressure cooker, add group 1 ingredients with 1 cup water, tighten the lid and put the whistle. Heat on high. It takes 5-10 minutes for the first whistle. Switch off the stove, and let it pressure cook until pressure completely dies (~30 minutes). I usually do this step at least 5-6 hours before I plan to cook the curry.

Now the fun 'n exciting part begins:

Preparing the masala:

 Group 2 ingredients: Heat on medium high coconut oil, and add musard seeds. Add curry leaves once it sputters. Add garam masala and coriander powder. Stir lightly for 2 minutes. 

Now lets use our group 3 ingredients:

Grind the group 3 ingredients into a fine paste without adding any water (the tomato will serve that purpose). Mix it well into the paste on the stove.

 Keep cooking on med high for 5-7 minutes until the oil seeps out, and the mix resembles a thick paste. 

Group 4 ingredients:

Grind to a fine paste the coconut and 3 tablespoons of cooked chana in a small mixer, along with 2 tablespoons of water from the pressure cooker.

Add this paste to the mixture on stove, and cook in medium high for another 5-7  minutes, stirring frequently.

Now, add the cooked chana with the water remaining in the pressure cooker mixing in well into the cooked masala on the stove. Cook to boil (bubbles up a little), then turn off the stove. Add salt to your taste (we go low on  sodium for health reasons).

Tasty chana curry ready! 

Easy, isn't it? Serve with cooked rice or puttu or upma. Let me know how you like it.