Chole Masala/ Chana Masala

Chole or Chana or Garbanzo Beans - The name itself is sufficient to poke my brain, which in turn immediately stirs up its memory cells and brings up the puri and chole or chole bhature image. Just like acting to a stimuli, my body immediately responds - soak chole, prepare chole and puri or bhature and gobble gobble gobble. Umm... yummy !!
Be it any day or rather any meal of the day, be sure to count me in for a plate of chole-bhature :D !

This member of the legume family is both health as well as pocket friendly. Its high iron content makes it an attractive food for anemic people. Moreover, its high fiber content makes  it easy for digestion - another add-on to the list. It fills one up for a longer time, thus controlling appetite, thereby reducing the urge to fill up unnecessary snacks. Hence, good for people trying to lose weight too.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Garbanzo Beans /Chickpeas/ Chole/ Chana
• 1 Large Onion, chopped finely
• 1 Tbspn Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 Large Tomato, pureed
• 1-2 Green Chilly, chopped finely
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 Dry Red Chilly
• 1" Cinnamon 
• 2-3 Green Cardamom
• 1 Tbspn Chana/Chole Masala
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• 1 Tspn Chilly Powder (optional)
• 1 Tspn Amchur Powder 
• 1 Tspn Lemon Juice (optional)
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Soak the chickpeas overnight in sufficient water. Boil in a pressure cooker in salted water till soft.
• Heat about 2 tbspn oil in a pan. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon and cardamom. Saute. Add dry red chilly and cumin seeds.
• As the cumin seeds start crackling, add the finely chopped onions. Saute till translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste. Saute till raw flavour goes away.
• Add the tomato puree, green chilly, salt (only for the masala mix, as the chickpeas have been boiled in salted water) and turmeric powder. Fry till oil starts leaving the masala.
• Mix the chickpeas along with the water in which it was boiled. Bring to a boil. 
• Add amchur powder, chilly powder (optional) and store bought chana masala. Simmer for about 10 minutes or till desired consistency is achieved.
• Goes very well with puri, chapati ... in fact, with any kind of bread :D !
• If you are a citrus lover like me, drizzle some lemon juice before starting to gobble gobble and gobble :P.