Channa massala: Island style

Everyone appeared to like the chickpea curry I made, and a few people asked for the recipe, so finally, about two months after the island festival finished, I’ve got around to doing it. So here it is, a dish for two, the proportions can be adjusted for more people.

One tin of pre boiled chickpeas (if you do not have these, soak the dried chick peas over night, drain the water and then par boil them).

Half an onion chopped or diced.

One small potato boiled and diced (optional)

A couple of tomatoes chopped.

Two cloves of garlic crushed.

Small piece of ginger.

Teaspoon of cumin

Teaspoon of mustard seeds

One star aniseed

Small stick of cinnamon

1-2 curry leaves

Half a fresh lemon (or lemon juice)

Chillies to taste

½ teaspoon Haldi (turmeric powder)

Salt to taste.

Channa powder – optional, not recommended.

Place some oil in a flat bottomed pan, and bring to heat add in the cumin and the mustard seeds and let them sizzle. Add in the curry leaves, the star aniseed and the cinnamon stick. Then add onions till they start to soften. In a separate pot bring the chick peas to boil (only if you are using the dried peas).

Add in the garlic and crushed ginger and let the onions slightly brown.

Add the chillies and tomatoes and heat till the oil starts to separate from the ingredients.

At this point add in the chick peas.

You can also add some small chunks of boiled potato here (one small potato for 250-300g’s of chick peas).

Add in half a cup of water, and let the pot simmer.

Add in the salt.

(At this point if you wish you can add in channa powder)

Add in the half spoon of haldi.

Stir the pot and let everything simmer.

Wait for the majority of water to evaporate and taste.

Add the lemon juice and any additional chilli or salt is needed.

Garnish with chopped tomatoes finely diced onions and thaniya.

Serve with naan, poorian or bhatura’s.