Ingredients
Units
Scale
for the masala:
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 8–ounce cans of tomato sauce
for the channa:
- 1 1/2 cups of dried chickpeas
- 3 cups of water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/16 block of imli soaked in 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 1/4 cup masala (made above)
- 1 scant tablespoon channa masala (spice blend)
- 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala
- to garnish: imli chutney, lime wedges, diced red onion, cilantro
Instructions
to make the masala:
- In a small stovetop pot, add the oil and bring up to a medium heat.
- Add the tomato sauce and stir. Sauté until the tomato sauce has reduced and thicken. Remove from heat and let cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer.
to make the channa:
- In a large bowl, add the dried chickpeas and add enough water to cover plus some more. For 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas I added about 3 cups water. Let soak overnight, or at least 8 hours.
- When ready to start cooking, drain the soaked chickpeas. Add the chickpeas into the basin of your pressure cooker with 3 cups of water, salt, cloves, green and black cardamom pods, and bay leaf. Cover and seal, and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes.
- While the chickpeas cook, prep the imli. Add 1/16 of a block of imli to a microwave safe bowl and cover with 1 cup of water. Microwave for about 20-30 seconds. Remove from microwave and break up the imli, mushing it into the water. Set aside until ready to use.
- Release pressure from cooker. Remove the lid and remove the whole spices from the pot. Pour the cooked chickpeas and cooking liquid into a large bowl and set aside.
- Turn the pressure cooker to sauté mode, add 1 tbsp oil and bring up to medium heat.
- Add the cumin seeds and sauté for about a minute until the seeds start to brown and become fragrant. Add the minced ginger and stir.
- Add 1/4 cup of the tomato masala you made earlier and stir until the sauce becomes fragrant, about another minute or two.
- Add the 1 tbsp channa masala spice and 1/2 tsp of chaat masala. Stir to combine.
- Strain the water from the imli into the pressure cooker, dispose of the leftover imli. Stir to combine and let bubble for about 2 to 3 minutes until thick.
- Add the cooked channa and the channa water back into the pressure cooker and stir to combine with the sauce. Reduce for about 10 minutes to thicken the sauce. Turn of pressure cooker and salt to taste.
- Serve channa with rice or paratha, top with desired toppings, imli chutney a must! Enjoy!