Chana Batata
The best bowl to grab was in the small lanes of Bhendi Bazaar on the pull-carts just outside the main mosque; which is now undergoing some major re-development changes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups 2 cups whole gram or a large tin of chickpeas
- 1/2 Kilogram(kg) potatoes
- 1 raw mango(optional)
- 1/4 packet of tamarind(soaked in hot water)
- Salt to taste
Masala:
- 2 Tablespoon(tbsp) oil
- 1/2 mustard seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon(tsp) turmeric
- 1 Tablespoon(tbsp) whole dry red chilli
- salt to taste
- 2-3 curry leaves(limbdo)
- 1 teaspoon(tsp) red chilli powder to taste
- 1 teaspoon(tsp) tin peeled tomatoes,chopped
- 1 Tablespoon(tbsp) tomato puree
- 2 teaspoons(tsp) gram flour
- 1 Tablespoon(tbsp) sugar lemon juice to taste
Instructions
- Soak gram in salted water overnight
- Next day cook for 30 minutes in a pressure cooker until the gram is tender
- Boil potatoes, peel and cut into small pieces
Masala:
- Heat the oil. Fry the whole red chilli, mustard seeds and curry leaves until seeds start to pop
- Add the peeled tomatoes, tomato puree, salt, turmeric, sugar and chilli powder. Stir well and cook until well blended
- To thicken the gravy, dissolve the gram flour in cold water and add to the above mixture. Stir until it has mixed well with all the spices
- Add boiled gram (or chick peas), tamarind water and potatoes and cook for a few minutes
- Add hot water depending on the thickness of the gravy required
- If raw mango is available, cut and add to the above and cook for a few minutes
- Otherwise add lemon juice and remove from heat
- Serve with tamarind chutney, chevdo, potato or cassava crisps