Chole Masala (to side with Poori / Batura)

  What can we do when there is a lock-down and it is weekend !!! And then you have your people with you, to share your work and partake in home keeping. Top it up with a kid who is in pre-teen and is all herself and doesn't need you around always. All this means, you are able to free up time for yourself and bring some of the forgotten hobbies and passions to foreground. That is what I did. I started water coloring, did some sketches and now back to blogging post a long gap of two years.

 I am not a pro when it comes to cooking. But I am not pathetic either. I manage to cook a palatable dish and sometimes I get it in good taste too :D  And when it is the latter and esp when I add my own custom changes to it, I make it a point to quickly bookmark it so I don't miss the flow of recipe and loose it to the test of time. It is such scenarios that pushed me to blog, for my own private book keeping. So this blog is more a personal cookbook that a fancy cooking site that targets more readers. So if you are interested in my cooking journey, you can read on and follow me ;)


Ingredients:

 Chole Masala:

•  Kabuli Chana (Chickpea) - 1 Cup soaked in water overnight or atleast for 4 hours in hot water
•  Two to three big tomatoes thinly diced
•  Two large onions finely chopped
•  Two to three garlic pods finely chopped
•  Cumin seeds - half a spoon
•   Mustard seeds - Half a spoon
•  Refined oil - Two to three spoonsful

       Spices to add:

•   Turmeric powder - 1 Spoon
•   Red Chilli powder - 1 spoon ( or as per taste/spiciness)
•   Everest -  Pav Bhaji Masala - Half a spoon
•   Everest - Kitchen King Masala - 1 Spoon
•   Salt to taste
  

Way to go:

•   Boil and cook Chickpeas in a pressure cooker. I let it cook for 6 to 7 whistles. So they turn soft enough to munch on. With chickpeas cooking up in pressure cooker, lets get to the gravy part.
•   Heat oil in a kadai, and when hot add in cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. 
• Now add the crushed garlic and saute for few seconds in low heat. 
•  Now add the chopped onions and saute in medium heat until they turn translucent and raw smell goes off.
•  Add diced tomatoes and saute them in medium heat, tossing them very often to avoid getting burnt at the bottom. If the tomato is ripe enough, there is no need to sprinkle water, as the fruit would ooze out enough water on its own. Cook it till it is mushy.
•  At this point, add the spices listed in the ingredients, adjust quantity to your taste.
•  Cook the mixture for two to three minutes.
•  Now add the boiled chickpeas into this mixture (along with the water it is cooked in).
•  Let the entire stuff brew for two to three minutes. 
• Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves if you fancy. 
• TIP: If your gravy is too thin, just pull out a ladle full of boiled cookpeas, and grind them to fine paste. Then add it back to the gravy. This would thicken your chole masala.
• 
• Now serve it hot with Pooris or Baturas. Enjoy !!!