Every home has their own way of making Channa Masala and there are so many different recipes for this favorite item out there! My special thoughts of this dish, are always when combined with Batura. TH always loves Channa Batura, steaming hot with a side of Channa Masala, doled up with sliced raw onions and a dash of lemon. I have at least 3 versions of this dish, but I can never really be satisfied. This gravy was inspired by Aipi`s Rajma Masala . I tweaked it around a little bit here and there and was very happy with the results. Somewhere along the line, as I was shooting this pic, I got tickled with the aromas wafting, and was in danger of scooping a spoonful then and there but reasoning prevailed!!!
INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups of White Channa cooked for 1 whistle in the pressure cooker.
1 Onion Chopped.
1 Cup Tomato Puree or 2 Large Hierloom Tomatoes.
11/2 Tsp Red Chilli Powder.
2 Tsp Dhania Powder.
2 Tsp Ginger Garlic Paste.
1/2 Tsp Turmeric.
1 Tsp Garam Masala Powder.
2 Tsp Kasuri Methi.
1 Tsp Amchur.
2 Bay Leaves.
1 Tsp Cumin Seeds.
Hing.
Salt.
1 Tsp Butter.
PREPARATION:
- Add 1 tsp of ghee in to a kadai and season with cumin seeds, bay leaves a pinch of asfoetida. Stir in the chopped onions and allow to saute for a few minutes.
- Add a pinch of turmeric and then pour out the measured quantity of tomato puree. You could use real tomatoes, but I prefer the tang in tomato purees as well as the colour.
- Stir in the red chilli powder and ginger garlic paste and allow it to incorporate well n the gravy. Now add 1/2 a cup of water and stir and cook on cover. Allow occasional stirring and wait until the oil seperates from the onion mixture.
- Dole out the measured spoonful of Dhania Powder (Corriander Powder) and Amchur (Mango Powder) and stir it for a few minutes allowing the raw smell of the spice powders to get cooked in the gravy.
- Now add the cooked garbanzo beans (White Kabuli Channa) , 2 cups of water, the required salt and let it come to a boil. At this point add the garam masala, kasoori methi and a blob of butter and when you see the gravy coming together, switch off the flame and garnish with chopped cilantro.
- Keep covered to allow all the flavours to mingle with each other and to be served strictly with sliced raw onions and a dash of lemon!!
- Excellent accompaniment with batura, Pooris or Paranthas!
Anubhavati -Tastes from my kitchen 
Looks Yummm…. should taste yumm tooo… can you pack some for me… luv ur cooking and ur pictures… cant decide which is better?
Looks perfect and wonderful
Yumm, wat a colour, truly inviting and irresistible..
Looks so delicious ….yummy pic
love chana masala… yours looks so nice and red and rich!! would love to dig right in!
fiery red…the word came to my mind as soon as the picture opened. You got to have lovely tomatoes pureed there:) (ah okay it is puree) It looks one wholely flavoursome masala….inge oru bowl full anuppavum…
YUMMY!!! post some easy recipe na 😦 😦 ithu elam naa ipo epdi try panrathu!!!
something along the lines of the kathrika sabji i told you abt..
and PLEASE with INDIAN veggies 😛
mmm!!! Very tempting!!!! 🙂
Wow, the presentation looks simply mind-blowing. Love chana masala anytime 🙂
Hey, I was wondering if you saw about “MAITRI – A Friendship Chain” event. If not, please do take a look and try to participate, it will be fun 🙂
http://mharorajasthanrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/03/maitri-friendship-chain.html
Send me an email @ priya.mitharwal@gmail.com
Looks very tempting to eyes and loved the recipe too! Nice presentation with the cut onion ring on the rim 🙂
Channa masala look awesome.Nice presentation too.
Wowww… Truly delicious.. amazing clicks too 🙂
Indian Cuisine
Hi shobha, thanks for visiting me and leaving such a lovely comment, what a beautiful name you have for a blog, so meaning full it is!, love the name, first time here, love your blog too.., so simple looking with elegant outlook with your recipes and clicks, Yes I am Iyengar by birth, but born and brought up in Karnataka, love kannada and kannadigas!, lovely people and food they create, May be that is why my food has lot of karnataka roots in it!, and settled in UK right now!, it’s such an immense pleasure people like you visit small time bloggers like us!, will be visiting you definitely to check out all your recipes, I love to try anything new so surely am going to check out your blog, please do visit me when ever is possible for you.. thanks again
oh! sorry back again forgot to comment about this all time favourite channa masala, I have one in my draft!, looks gorgeous like in a resturant! beautiful click
Thanks for your lovely comments Jayasri. Its amazing how growing up in different places, completely changes one`s cooking, outlook and lifestyle based on exposure…I have loads to learn from you too!
Shobha
@ Hari Chandana,
thanks for your comments.
@ Vidya,
Glad you liked the presentation
Shobha
@ Raks,
My daughter loved the click so much she wanted it as the wall paper on teh comp!!! Thanks fr the compliments.
Shobha
@ sHANTHI,
Thanks for your cmments mami…It means a lot to me!
@ Priya,
it tastes more amazing after a day or two…
Shobha
That rajma masala is one of my fav too- glad you liked the recipe. It came out perfect with a very appetizing color. BTW I also have a similar chana masala recipe on my site .Please feel free to have a look!
US Masala
I prepared you recipe and it was great with few changes…..
“2 Cups of White Channa cooked for 1 whistle in the pressure cooker.” … white channas need 10-12 whistles not one.. isn’t it?
What I liked best about ur recipe is adding right masalas at the right time and the end results were delicious white channa. Thanks for posting it.
Easy recipe. Followed it exactly and my channa turned out great! Thanks!