DHABA STYLE CHANNA MASALA/ PUNJABI CHANA MASALA/ CHANA PINDI

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
250 gms white chick peas (Kabuli chana)
2 tbsp desi ghee (clarified butter)
a pinch of asafoetida powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 big onion finely chopped
2 big or 3 medium sized  tomatoes pureed
5-6 cloves of garlic minced or chopped
1" garlic minced or chopped
2 green chilies finely chopped
1 tsp dhania powder
1/2 tsp catch sabzi masala
1/2 tsp degi mirch powder
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1/4 tsp dry mango powder (amchoor) or 1 tsp thick tamarind pulp
1 tsp chana masala
1 tsp kasuri methi
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
1 tbsp fresh cream (optional)
1 tbsp curd
100 grams cottage cheese cut into small cubes
Chopped coriander leaves and ginger Julians for garnishing 
salt to taste

Method (vidhi):

1. Wash and soak chick peas overnight or at least for 4-5 hours . Add sufficient water (approx. 3-4 cups) and 1/2 tsp salt and turmeric powder and pressure cook till they become soft.
2. Mean while in another pan add desi ghee and crackle cumin seeds, add a pinch of asafoetida powder and then add ginger, garlic and finely chopped onion to the ghee.
3. Cook till the onions become brown in color then add tomato puree and green chilies and cook till the masala leaves the sides of the pan.
4. Now add all the spices and curd if required add some water so that the spices don't get burnt.
5. Cook for a while and then switch off the gas.
6. Add the cooked masala to boiled chick peas and give 2-3 whistles in the pressure cooker.
7. Add cream and  cottage cheese and cook further for 5 minutes or till you reach the required consistency. Check for salt if required add some more.
8. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and ginger julians and serve hot with garlic naan, plain naan, bhatura, poori or simply chapati or rice.

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DRY BLACK CHICK PEAS / MASALA KALE CHANE / SOOKHE KAALE CHANNE

 Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 6

Ingrdients:

200 gms kale chane / black chick peas
2 tomatoes roughly chopped
1" ginger roughly chopped
1-2 green chilies
2 tbsp refined oil
a pinch of hing 

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp dhania powder (coriander powder)
1 tsp garam masala powder or channa masala or catch sabzi masala
1/2 tsp degi mirch powder
salt to taste

Method (Vidhi):

1. Wash and soak black gram or chick peas overnight in normal water or atleast for 3-4 hours in warm water.
2. Drain out water and add 3-4 cups water with a tsp of salt and cook the chick peas in a pressure cooker till they become soft. Simmer the gas after 2-3 whistles and cook further for 15-20 minutes. Ckeck after the pressure releases and if required cook further as required.
3. Mean while grind tomatoes,ginger and green chilies in a mixer. Keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add hing then crackle cumin seeds and add tomato paste in it.
5. Cook till half the water of tomato paste evaporates then add all the spices and cook further till the masala leaves the sides of the pan.
6. Now check the water in boiled chick peas, if there is not much water in it then you can add the cooked masala to the boiled black chick peas other wise cook till the water evaporates or you can drain out the water and make kale channe ka soup out of it.
7. After adding masala cook till you reach the desired consistency. If you like you can mash some of the chick peas.  
8. Check salt and if required add some more salt, garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with aate ka halwa and puris. These no onion sookhe kale chane are served on durga ashtmi as prasaad.

 

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SOOKHI DAAL

Ingredients:

1 cup moong dal (split and deskined green gram), washed
1 tbsp oil
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 tsp coriander  powder
salt to taste
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp catch sabzi masala
1.5 cups water

1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp coriander (dhania)
1-2 green chillies chopped

1 onion chopped

1 tomato de-seeded and chopped

Method:

1. Wash the dal, till the water runs clear. Soak in water for 3-4 hours. 
2. Drain the water of the dal and put aside in a stainer.
3. Heat oil in a pan/ kadahi and add cumin seeds and asafoetida. When the cumin seeds sart to crakle add ginger and stir well.
4. Add the dal, mix well and cook covered at high for a minute. Now mix in the coriander powder, salt, chilli powder and the turmeric powder.
5. Add water, mix well and cook covered at medium flame for 15 minutes or till it becomes tender and all the water is absorbed, stirring occasionally.
6. Turn off the gas and add the lemon juice and the sabzi masala, mix well.
7. Garnish with green chillies, coriander,onion, tomatoes and lemon wedges.
8. Serve with chapati or parantha.

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CHANA DAL

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 cup chana dal
1-2 tbsp desi ghee(pure ghee)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium sized onion chopped
1 big or 2 small tomatoes pureed
1" ginger grated or finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 green chili chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp degi mirch
1/2 tsp dhania powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp kasuri methi (dry fenugerik seeds)

Method:

1. Wash and soak chana dal for an hour.
2. Take 4 cups of water ,turmeric powder,salt and 1/2 tsp of oil (optional) in a pressure cooker and add the dal to it.
3. Pressure cook the dal.(Simmer the gas after first whistle and then cook for 15-20 minutes on low flame.)
4. When the pressure releases check the dal and keep aside.
5. Heat desi ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds to it, when they start to crackle and chopped onions,grated ginger and chopped garlic to it and cook till they become brown in color.
6. Now add chopped geen chili and pureed tomato and cook till the mixture leaves ghee. 
7. Now add rest of the spices and mix well.If required you can add 2 tbsp of water in this mixture.
8. Put this mixture in the cooked dal and if required you can add some more water to dal.
9. Again pressure cook the dal for two whistles or as required.
10. Now dal is ready to be served along with rice or chapati.

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RAAJMA

Ingredients:
2 cups red kidney beans(Raajma) soaked overnight
1.5 tsp salt or to taste
3 tbsp refined oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 medium sized finely chopped onions
1 inch piece ginger finely chopped

6-8 cloves garlic
1 green chili finely chopped
3 medium tomatoes pureed
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp rajma masala or garam masala
1/4 tsp red chilli powder (degi mirch)

Method:

1. Pressure cook raajma with five cups of water and salt till totally cooked and soft.
2. Heat oil in a deep pan. Add cumin seeds and onion (you can grate the onion if you wish). Add ginger and garlic and continue to saute till the mixture turns golden.
3. Add chopped chilis and tomato puree, mix and continue to cook. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder,rajma  masala  and cook till the oil leaves the masala. 
4. Add raajma along with the cooking liquor and mix. Adjust salt . Lower the heat and simmer for about fifteen to twenty minutes on low heat. Serve hot with steamed jeera rice.

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SAMBHAR

Ingredients

For Sambhar:

1 cup toovar (arhar) dal
2 tomatoes , chopped
1 onion , chopped
1/2 cup brinjal (baingan / eggplant) cubed

1/2 cup bottle gourd (ghiya or lauki) 
1 drumsticks (saijan ki phalli / saragavo) , cut into 4 pieces
1 potato cubed

1 small carrot cubed

8 french beans

1 small capsicum cubed

1/4 cup cauliflower 

1 tbsp tamarind (imli) pulp

2 dry red chilies

1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
6 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
2 tbsp oil

1 tsp moong dal 
1 tsp urad dal (split black lentils)

2 tsp sugar or a small piece of gur

salt to taste

For The Sambhar Masala:

 4 to 6 whole dry kashmiri red chillies
1 tbsp coriander (dhania) seeds
1 tsp toovar (arhar) dal
1 tbsp chana dal (split bengal gram)
1 tbsp urad dal (split black lentils)
1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 tsp oil

Method:

For the sambhar masala

1. Heat the oil and roast all the ingredients for the sambhar masala in it. 
2. Grind to a fine paste. Keep aside.

For Sambhar:

1. Wash and pressure cook the dal, onion, brinjals, bottle gourd,drumstick, and potato with 2 cups of water. Mash the vegetables in the boiled dal.
2. Then add the tamarind pulp, salt ,sugar and 4 cups of water and bring to a boil.
3. Prepare the tempering by heating the oil and frying the mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida,1tsp urad dal,1 tsp moong dal and dry red chilies until the mustard seeds crackle.
4. Now add chopped tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes become compeletely soft.
5. Now add rest of the vegetables in the tempering pan along with 1/2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp of water and cook till the vegetables are crunchy.
6. Now add  sambhar masala and 1/2 cup of water and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add this to the sambhar and simmer for 15 minutes.
8. Serve hot with upma,idli ,lemon rice,steamed rice,uttapam,vada or dosa. 

Note:

1. You can use more or less of vegetables as per availability of vegetables.
2. You can use 3-4 tsp ready made sambar masala or sambar mix available in market. 

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Dal Makhni

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sabut urad dal (whole black gram)                                

2 tbsp rajma (kidney beans)
1 tsp salt or to taste
1/4 tsp red chili powder (preferably degi mirch powder)
2 inch long chopped ginger
6 cloves chopped garlic
1 large onion chopped
2 large tomatoes pureed
1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
3 dry red chilies(whole)
1 pinch or hing
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp dal makhni madala

Method:
1. Wash and soak dal and rajma overnight .
2. Drain the water and pressure cook dal with 3 cups of water and salt for half an hour (after first whistle simmer the gas) and then check whether the dal and rajma are soft or not if not then cook for little more time as per requirement.
3. Take 1/2 tbsp oil and whole of the butter in a pan add cumin seeds when they splatter or change color add chopped onion,garlic and ginger and fry till they become golden brown.
4. Add pureed tomatoes and chopped coriander leaves and stir till the oil separates then add coriander powder and dal makhni masala and stir for two minutes.
5. Add the whole mixture to the dal and add water if required and cook for ten minutes.
6. Take a tadka pan and heat 1/2 tbsp oil and add coriander seeds,hing and dry red chillies then add this tempering to the dal and serve hot.

Garnishing:
Garnish with butter or cream and chopped coriender leaves.

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