Kala Chana Curry or Kalya Vatanyachi Usal

Kala Chana Curry or Kalya Vatanyachi Usal

Serves: 2 persons

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup soaked kala chana or black chickpeas
  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • 1 small onion sliced (around ¾th cup)
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ¼ cup dry coconut
  • 1 tablespoon chopped ginger pieces
  • 2 medium garlic pods chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon kolhapuri masala or garam masala
  • Salt to taste
  • 1½ cup + 3 tablespoon water

Method:

  1. Wash and rinse soaked kala chana. Add fresh 1 cup of water and cook in a pressure cooker until it is soft. Let the pressure go down completely.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan. Add sliced onions, ginger and garlic pieces. Saute well. Add dry coconut, corriander seeds, cumin seeds. Cook everything until the raw smell goes away.
  3. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down completely. Grind to a fine paste. While grinding add 3 tablespoons of water.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan. Add cumin seeds. let them crackle. Add asafoetida, turmeric, red chilli powder, and kolhapuri masala. Add ground paste and mix everything.
  5. Cook for a minute. Add ½ cup water. Let everything boil properly. Add chopped cilantro.
  6. Add cooked chana to the boiling paste along with the water. Add salt to taste.
  7. Let the mixture cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and put the lid on. Let it cook on a steam for 5 more minutes.
  8. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with roti.