Chole/ Chana Masala

Chole(pronounced as cho-lay) or Chana masala is a popular Punjabi(north-Indian) preparation. Its a side-dish with chickpeas in sour sauce. Usually eaten with batura, or roti. But I can have it as a healthy brunch.

Ingredients-

1cup chickpeas

1large onion

2large tomatoes

1tsp ginger-garlic paste

1green chilli

1/2tsp mustard seeds

1/2tsp tumeric powder

lime-sized ball tamarind

Whole spices

1stick cinamon

2cardamom

3cloves

To garnish

Coriander leaves

Preparation-

• Soak chickpeas overnight. Add water, tumeric and whole spices and pressure cook till soft.
• Roughly chop onion and tomatoes and puree.
• Soak the tamarind in warm water and extract the paste.
• In a pan heat oil and crackle mustard seeds. Add chopped green chilli.
• Add the tomato-onion puree and ginger-garlic paste, and cook.
• Add the tamarind paste, the boiled chickpeas, salt, garam masala and stir well.
• When it simmers, take off the heat.
• Add freshly chopped coriander and serve with baturas or rotis.