CHANNA MASALA

PRESSURE COOK METHOD

HOW TO MAKE IN INSTANT POT 

INGREDIENTS:

Channa                  - 1 1/2 Cup

Onion                    - 2 Finely chopped

Tomato                  - 1 Big finely chopped

Green chillies        - 4 small

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp

Red chilli powder  - 1/2

Coriander powder  - 2 Tsp

Garam masala        - 1 Tsp

Coriander leaves   - 2 Tsp for garnishing

Lemon juice          - 1 Tsp

Salt                        - as needed

To temper:

Oil                       - 1 Tsp

Cumin seeds        - 1 tsp

Bay leaf              - 1

Cinnamon stick  - 1 inch

Fennel seeds      - 1/2 tsp

HOW TO MAKE:

Soak channa overnight or at least 6 to 7 hours.  Pressure cook it with needed salt and allow 3 whistles, let the steam get released.  Keep aside. Once cooled down take 3 to 4 tsp of channa and in a mixie grind coarsely, keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadai add the items under temper column.  Fry chopped onions until it get transparent.  Add ginger garlic paste, green chillies fry until nice aroma comes.  Then add the chopped tomatoes and saute for a min.

Add red chilli, coriander, garam masala and turmeric powder.  Blend the masalas well and it will form a thick gravy.  Add cooked channa and add a cup of water.  Mix well.  When it get boils add the grounded coarse paste of channa.  Add 1/2 more cup of water and mix well. Already we cooked dhal with salt, taste it before turn off the stove and if you need more salt add as needed.  Add a tsp of lemon juice and mix well.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and ransfer into serving bowl.  Serve delicious channa masala with Poori, Chappathi or Zeera rice :-)

TIPS:

Reduce the quantity of red chillies powder if you add green chillies too or add 1.5 tsp of red chilli powder for the above quantity.  

Always add lemon juice once you turn off the stove. Do not allow to boil after you add the juice and it will give bitter taste.

Adding coarse channa will give extra flavour of channa and also will help to form a thick gravy.  If you do not want to add coarse paste then add a cornflour paste before turn off the stove.  

For instant cooking for the channa masala, pressure cook it with a pinch of cooking soda and allow 5 to 6 whistles.  It is always good to cook without using soda and better soak it overnight :-)