Coconut Chana Curry

This Coconut Chana Curry recipe is a flavorsome, delicious south Indian-style Chana Masala prepared with chickpeas, coconut and melange of aromatic spices. It is perfect with roti, paratha or any Indian breads and also tastes great with steamed or flavored rice too.

I love chickpeas, my family loves chickpeas — who doesn’t, right ! And this curry delicious and fragrant, not too spicy with coconut and purely a bliss.

HOW TO MAKE THIS CURRY?

This simple and delicious curry consists of 3 steps:

Cooking the soaked chickpeas:

Wash and soak the chickpeas in enough water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours. Drain the soaked chickpeas and pressure cook it for 3 whistle with enough water and salt.

Grinding the coconut masala:

Dry roast the spices listed in “masala paste” except coconut on a low flame for 2-3 mins. Then add grated coconut to the spices and saute for 2 mins. Once the coconut become golden. Remove the pan and allow the this mixture to cool.Then grind to a smooth paste by adding little water.

Preparing the gravy:

In a large pan, heat the oil and add mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Then add bay leaves,curry leaves, green chilli and ginger-garlic paste. Once the raw smell goes, add onion. Sauté till the onions turn translucent and soften.Then add tomato, salt and turmeric powder. Sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes till the tomatoes soften and mushy.Add the ground masala paste along with cooked chickpeas and stock.Check for seasoning and allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes on medium flame.Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

TIPS TO MAKE PERFECT CURRY:

• Make sure to soak the dry chickpeas for at least 8 hours.
• Once the chickpeas soaks it will be tripled in size so make sure to add enough water for soaking.
• Make sure to cook chana till soft else it will not absorb the gravy well.
• Don’t discard the chickpeas cooked water, we can use the stock while making the gravy.
• As the stock has salt, make sure to check before adding the salt in the gravy.
• Mash a few chickpeas with the sides of the spoon to thicken the gravy.
• The consistency is absolutely as per your preference, so accordingly add the stock or water.
• If you want in spicy version then add some red chilli powder.

HOW TO SERVE THIS CURRY?

Serve this coconut chana curry with chapati or roti or naan or parathas or steamed rice or pulao.

You can serve along with,

HOMEMADE NAAN

WHOLE WHEAT NAAN

PANEER PARATHA

GOBI PARATHA

JEERA RICE

COCONUT CHANA GRAVY RECIPE :

INGREDIENTS:

To cook chana:

1 cup white chickpeas, sokaed 6 hours or overnight
4 cups water
1/2 tsp salt

For masala paste:

1 inch cinnamon
2 cloves
2 green cardamom
small piece of stone flower
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 dry red chilies
4 to 5 whole black pepper
1/2 cup fresh coconut, grated

To make gravy:

3 tbsp cooking oil
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
few curry leaves
1 green chili
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 cup stock (water in which the chickpeas were cooked)
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves for garnishing (cilantro leaves)
salt as required

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash and soak the chickpeas in enough water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours.
2. Drain the soaked chickpeas and pressure cook it for 3 whistle with enough water and salt.
3. Dry roast the spices listed in “masala paste” except coconut on a low flame for 2-3 mins. Then add grated coconut to the spices and saute for 2 mins.
4. Once the coconut become golden. Remove the pan and allow the this mixture to cool.Then grind to a smooth paste by adding little water.
5. In a large pan, heat the oil and add mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Then add bay leaves,curry leaves, green chilli and ginger-garlic paste.
6. Once the raw smell goes, add onion. Sauté till the onions turn translucent and soften.
7. Then add tomato, salt and turmeric powder. Saute for about 2 to 3 minutes till the tomatoes soften and mushy.
8. Add the ground masala paste along with cooked chickpeas and stock.
9. Check for seasoning and allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes on medium flame.
10. Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.
11. Serve hot with any Indian breads or steamed rice or pulao.

RECIPE NOTES:

1. Make sure to soak the dry chickpeas for at least 8 hours.
2. Once the chickpeas soaks it will be tripled in size so make sure to add enough water for soaking.
3. Make sure to cook chana till soft else it will not absorb the gravy well.
4. Don’t waste the chickpeas cooked water,we can use it while making the gravy.
5. As the stock has salt, make sure to check before adding the salt in the gravy.
6. Mash a few chickpeas with the sides of the spoon to thicken the gravy.
7. The consistency is absolutely as per your preference, so accordingly add the stock or water.
8. If you want in spicy version then add some red chilli powder.

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