Channa Masala

Preparation :

• Soak the dry Channa (Garbanzo/Chick Pea)in water for 3 to 4 hours
• The soaking makes the channa absorb water and soften up so it is easy to cook
• Soaked channa should be presure cooked or can be cooked in boiling water based on the softness required, You can add little turmeric in the cooking process as well.

• Take a pan and heat it up in stove
• once the Pan is heated up, add 1 tbsp of oil and wait for it to heat up

• Add Cumin (Jeera), fennel, cloves, coriander seeds, cashew, black pepper, cardamom 
• After the above spices are  half fried , reduce flame and add dry red chilli.
• Adding red chilli will make lot of smoke , so make sure the flame is low
• after the spice mix is ready mix it up
• add Onion and garlic to the pan, cook well
• When the color of the red onion turns from bright to pale pink , it is time to add tomatoes
• The last vegetable to add it tomato, you can cook the tomato light
• after that add half teaspoon of turmeric powder
• add half teaspoon of coriander powder
• add half teaspoon of red chili powder
• now switch off the flame and let it cool down
• grind into fine paste, it is very important to allow the paste to cool down before grinding
• Add the paste back in the pan with half up of water and let it boil, this is to get the curry consistency
• Add cooked channa (Garbanzo/Chick Pea).

• Finally you can add half a cup of Coconut milk, just to enrich the taste. (this is optional)