One of my favourites!
Restaurants and takeaways often refer to this as Channa Masala!
What you need…
Stuff for the Tholka
250g dried chickpeas… these will need to be soaked for 24 hours. Alternatively you use… Two tins of chickpeas ….in water.
One tin of tomatoes…chopped or plum.
Garam masala
Huldi…turmeric.
A tea bag…not a speciality one!
Salt
Bunch of fresh coriander.
What you need to do…
If you are using dried chickpeas (after soaking) these will need to be boiled for a couple of hours ideally. Alternatively, just add the tinned chickpeas later in the recipe.
Fry the Tholka until slightly browned
Add about half a teaspoon of huldi and fry off for a couple of minutes on a low heat.
Empty the tin of tomatoes and cook until slightly reduced …about 5 mins on a low heat.
Once cooked off add this to the boiling chickpeas OR
Pour in the two tins of chickpeas with their water into this pan.
Add in about a tin and a half of water… through in the tea bag!!
Stir in about a teaspoon of garam masala
Turn the heat up until it boils, then simmer and cover!
Continue to stir and cover for at least an hour.. add boiling water if needed!
Each time you stir, using your stirrer, squash some chickpeas against the inside of the pan.
Essentially this is cooked, but cooking it for another hour or so will intensify the spices and allow the chickpeas to fully absorb all the flavours.
Remove the tea bag…giving it a final squeeze on exit!
Add at least a teaspoon salt.. Taste and add more if needed!
Chop up the coriander and stir in!
Remember, it’s all about the TASTE and not the measure!
What to do next…
This is great by itself but I love it with roti or any kind pitta or naan bread. Rice, boiled is yummy too! Plain natural yoghurt is great as a side!
Traditionally this is quite often served at weddings and celebrations with Puri which is a deep fried bread.
Eat and share!
Enjoy!
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