Instant Chole Masala

Last week there was a post on an elaborate preparation with dhaba style chole curry. Whenever I need a quick recipe to go with rotis, I usually go with tinned chickpeas and readymade mix(add water and microwave). It never tastes perfect, but it's just an easy fix for a quick meal. Since I do not like readymade mix much, I loved the idea of chole in jiffy by vidya. It was a no hassle recipe and had no chopping and grinding involved but I still could not convince myself completely not to add any of the usual ingredients, so I just added half a sliced onion. The recipe turned out so good, and it sure is true, there is no necessity for onions or tomatoes.



Click here for Instant Chole Masala Recipe

Chole Masala / Kabuli Channa Curry

Chole masala is a classic vegetarian North Indian dish, originated in Punjab. Following this recipe gives you a dhaba style curry and tastes great. The reason for getting a scrumptious taste is because of the amla, the way tomatoes are cooked and the tomato ketchup added. Amla can also be replaced by tamarind. Don’t forget to remove the tamarind as done for amla. If the chole needs to be brown in colour, tea bags or tea leaves can be added to the water when pressure cooking them. If tea leaves are added water cannot be used for further use in the cooking, instead grind half a cup of boiled chick peas and add to the curry. Enjoy chole masala with puri or batura.


Click here for Chole Masala / Kabuli Channa Curry Recipe

Chick Pea Pulusu/kuzhambu or Curry

A very simple dish made with brown chick peas or any bean of your choice and the simple spices you have at any Indian kitchen. Usually brinjals are also added along with the potatoes and chick peas. At times this is made with a mixture of vegetables like carrot, red pumpkin, broad beans(avarakkai). Tastes great with steamed rice or chapathi.


Click here for Chick Pea Pulusu/kuzhambu or Curry Recipe

Chick Pea - Bengal Gram - Channa

The chickpea, chick pea, garbanzo bean, ceci bean, bengal gram, chana or channa (Cicer arietinum) is an edible legume (British "pulse") of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae.

The plant is 20 to 50 cm high and has small feathery leaves on both sides of the stem. One seedpod contains two or three peas. The flowers are white- or reddish-blue. Chickpeas need a subtropical or tropical climate and more than 400 mm annual rain. They can be grown in a temperate climate, but yields will be much lower.

Desi vs. kabuli chickpeas
There are two types of chickpea:

Desi - "with small, dark seeds and a rough coat (prevailing in the Indian subcontinent, Ethiopia, Mexico, Iran)"
Kabuli- "with light-coloured, larger seeds and a smoother coat (mainly grown in S Europe, N Africa, Afghanistan, introduced to India only in the 18th cent., Chile)."[[1]]
The Desi form is also known as Bengal gram or chana. The Kabuli form is the kind grown e.g. in the Mediterranean today. The desi-type closely resembles those seeds found on archaeological sites and the wild ancestor, so it is probably the earlier form. Desi-type chickpeas are said to have a very low glycemic index[2] making it good for many people with blood sugar problems.


Delicious Recipes using chick peas

Kadalai Kuzhambu
Chick pea Curry
Chick Peas Vada
Fuity Channa Salad