Kala Channa Bhatata (Chickpeas & Potatoes)

Ingredients

• 2 medium potatoes
• 1 tsp Jerra powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt.
• 1/2 tsp Chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp Asafoetida/Hing Powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• Some mustard seeds
• 1 Cup hot water
• 2 tbsp Cooking Oil

Method

• Chop potatoes into bite size chunks
• In a pan add oil and mustard seeds after seeds have started to crackle add hing
• After 10 seconds or so, add chopped potatoes with some water to just cover the potatoes
• Add Jerra, Chilli and Turmeric powder and the salt
• Cook the potatoes on a medium heat till done
• Set aside

Cooking the Channas
Ingredients

• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 1 tbsp Jerra powder
• 1 x 2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp Chilli powder (or 2 if hotter is preferred)
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Channa Masala (or garam masala)
• 1/2 tsp Asafoetida/Hing Powder
• 2 Cups Channa Water (see below)
• Water to pressure cook the channas
• 3 tbsp Cooking Oil
• 300g Chopped tomato paste (use tinned tomatoes)

Method

• Soak the kala channas overnight
• Pressure cook channas with a tsp salt
• Once cooked, drain the chanas BUT retain the water the water chanas were cooked in
• In a pan add oil and mustard seeds after seeds have started to crackle add hing
• After 10 seconds or so add chopped unions and cook on low heat till they are slightly browned. I think caramelised unions add a lovely slightly sweet richness to the dish
• Add paste of chopped tomatoes. Use a tin of chopped tomatoes and blitz with a blender to get the paste
• Add Jerra, Chilli and Turmeric powder and the salt to the paste
• Cook the tomato paste till oil starts to separate
• Add channas and chana water as required to ensure channas are covered. Adding the amount of water is dependent on consistency of gravy required. I like a medium, neither too runny nor too dry
• After about 3 mins add the cooked potatoes, channa masala and sugar
• Simmer on a low heat for 15 mins, stirring all time. Add little chana water if it gets too dry or if the gravy is runny, smash some chanas which will thicken it
• Garnish with fresh coriander, chopped unions and tomatoes