Chole Recipe without Onions and Tomatoes/ White Chickpeas Curry

Searching for that elusive taste in recipes and dishes is always a challenge. Chole or Kabuli Chana recipes are  one of those recipes, where we try to replicate 'that' particular flavour: a favourite chaatwala, or a restaurant famous for its 'chole', or that Dhaba on your trip, or then the special recipe from family or friends. Widely used in the street foods of India, variations abound.

 Sangeeta's recipe , without onions, garlic or tomatoes is a keeper. Perfect for the cold weather with deep fried breads like puris or bhaturas.

The puris were made  in lieu of rice for the Ekadashi fast today; this was made yesterday. Will post the traditional Puzhukku recipe later this week. This recipe goes to Priya's Bookmarked Recipes Every Tuesday event. These were taken in the fading light; will update tomorrow! :-)

Variation from Original Recipe:

1. Original recipe calls for 250 gms of Dried Chickpeas. Here 2 Cups/approximately half pound.
2. Original uses 2 inch piece of ginger. Here half of the amount is substituted with Mango Ginger.
3. Mustard Oil is substituted with Vegetable Oil

Ingredients

2 Cups Dried Chickpeas/ Vella Kadala/ Garbanzo Beans/ Kabuli Chana [ soak overnight]

Split chickpeas/ channa daal 2 tbsp

Ginger root 1 inch piece

Mango Ginger 1 inch piece

Dry red chillies 3 or to taste

Coriander seeds 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds 2 tsp

Black pepper corns 2 tsp

Bay leaves 2-3 nos.

Cloves 3 nos.

Black cardamom 2 nos.

Amchoor powder/ Dry Mango Powder 2 tsp or more if needed

Salt

2 tbsps of vegetable oil

Method

• Pressure Cook the Split Channa Dal with the soaked chickpeas for 20-25 minutes. [ Optional: Add a pinch of soda-bicarb to soften the channa.]
• Grind all the spices-except the Amchoor/Dried Mango Powder- alongwith the bay leaves and the dried red chillies with a little water into a smooth paste.
• Heat 2 tbsps of oil and fry the ground paste until the oil separates.
• Add the cooked chickpeas to this mixture
• Add water if needed, the Dried Mango Powder, Salt 
• Cook on low heat for 30 minutes for the flavours to meld together.

Sweet Tomato Chutney: Traditional U P Recipe

An enduring favourite one would like to have on a day-to-day basis,  would be the vegetarian food from eastern India, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The privilege of having friends from Varanasi and Bihar provides one the shameless opportunity to indulge in this. At other times, one drools over recipes like this, Tamatar Ki Meeti Chutney! Sangeeta has made it easy for you to make it at home!:-)

This went with a tiny batch of samosa's: after a long time. Allright, after our summer trip to India, the first time. Fried snacks are rare,  but this was made for a friend,  and seemed perfect for the weather. This goes to Priya's Bookmarked Recipes-Every Tuesday.

Ingredients

3  medium-sized tart tomatoes, roughly chopped

1tbsp finely chopped Ginger

3-4 dried red chillies, broken

1 tsp Fennel/ Saunf/ Perun-jeerakam

1/4 tsp Nigella Seeds/ Onion Seeds

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds

3  1/2 chunks of Indian Jaggery = translates roughly to about 1 1/2 tbsps to each chunk

Salt

Water to just cover the chopped tomatoes

Method

Heat 2 tbps of Oil

Temper mustard seeds, the Red Chillies, Fennel, Nigella seeds and Fenugreek seeds

Immediately turn the heat to medium

Add the finely chopped ginger

Saute for about 3-4 minutes without burning

Add the chopped tomatoes

Add water and salt

Cook until the tomatoes break down

Add the Jaggery Cubes and cook until it reduces/ is of a sauce-consistency

Add water according to the consistency you desire.

Serve with pooris/puris, chappathis or parantha's.

Serve it with other stuffed snacks like Samosas or Kachoris too.