Chana Aloo Curry Food

TRINI CHANA AND ALOO

Steps:

• In a medium Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, add water to cover the chickpeas by 2 inches, and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming the foam, then lower to a simmer. Simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, until chickpeas are tender; drain, keeping the cooking water. (I like to use it later in the recipe; it's also a nice base for soups.)
• Meanwhile, purée the culantro and 1/3 cup water in a blender until smooth. Add a pinch of salt, the garlic and the chile. (Half a deseeded habanero will make the dish gently but noticeably hot. Adjust from there.) Blend until smooth. Stir the herb purée into the hot, drained chickpeas.
• Rinse and dry the pot. Peel the potato, and cut it into 3/4-inch chunks. In the pot, heat the oil over medium heat, add the curry powder and turmeric and stir, until very aromatic and just starting to darken. Carefully add the potatoes and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring, until you get a little sticking on the bottom of the pot, 3 to 5 minutes. Add a little water to scrape up the stuck parts, then add water to cover by 1/2 inch. (I use the chickpea cooking water, but Dolly Sirju prefers fresh water.) Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt.
• Bring the pot to a vigorous simmer, shy of a full boil, and cook until the potatoes are tender and the chickpeas are soft, about 30 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Chop some more culantro. Serve the curry with long grain white rice or roti, and garnish with chopped culantro.

CHANA AND ALOO (CHICKPEA AND POTATO CURRY)

Steps:

• Heat a medium sized pot on medium high with some oil.
• When oil is hot add in onion, bay leaf, chili, cumin & mustard seeds.
• Sauté until the onion starts to go translucent add in garlic.
• Sauté until mixture starts to brown add in sugar and curry powder. Add in more oil as needed.
• Fry until mixture becomes dark brown not burnt it doesn't take to long and add in coconut milk, stir well. (This is a great basic curry).
• Add in your potatoes and chickpeas, at this point you may need to add in some water, you want the liquid to be about one inch below the vegetable level. Stir well.
• Bring mixture to a boil, stir and turn heat down to medium low, cover and cook, stirring the curry every few minutes, until potatoes are done. It is ok if the potatoes fall apart in fact it is yummier that way. Takes 15-20 minutes.
• Add salt to taste.
• Great on it's own, with some naan bread or on some rice.

CHANA MASALA

Steps:

• Drain the chickpeas, add to a large pan with 400ml of water and season. Bring to the boil, then turn off the heat and set aside to allow the chickpea flavour to infuse the water.
• Blitz the onions with the garlic, ginger and green chillies. Melt the ghee in a large saucepan, then add the onion mix with a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 mins, until softened.
• Stir in the spices, and cook for 3 more mins, adding a splash of the chickpea water to stop them sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes and another splash of water and cook for 5 mins, squishing the tomatoes with a spoon as they soften. Tip in the chickpeas, along with their cooking water. Cook for 10 mins. Season well, add the lemon juice, and a splash of water if you like a looser curry. Scatter with the coriander, to serve.

ALOO CHANNA TARKARI (POTATO AND GARBANZO BEANS IN A CURRY)

Steps:

• heat oil and add cumin, fennel, fenugreek, mustard seeds - stir fry 1-2 mins till fragnant and crackling.
• add cubed potatoes and garbanzo beans and 2 - 2 1/2 cups of water and salt.
• add a drop or two of food color, crushed black pepper, crushed red chillies and turmeric.
• cover and let the potatoes and garbanzo cook about 10 mins or until the curry seems to thicken a little.
• with the back of a spoon, mash some of the potatoes and beans, add a little more water and let cook another 10 - 15 mins till the curry has thickened.
• mix in lemon juice, stir well.
• pour into serving dish, garnish with mint leaves and serve.