Black Channa In Coconut Milk

I just love black channa not only for its taste but also for its nutrients. Its rich in iron and protein. Not knowing what to do with the black channa which i soaked over night, suddenly got this idea of making a gravy with coconut milk. Its pretty easy once you have cooked the channa. Made this for a quick lunch one weekend. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Black channa(Kaala channa) - 1 cup ( soak over night, pressure cook it for 3 whistles and keep aside)
Coconut milk - 3/4 cup
Mild Tamarind Extract - 1/2 cup (or use 1 tsp amchur powder)
Oil - 3 tsp Chopped onions - 3 tsp
Chopped tomato - 3 tsp
Chopped ginger - 1 tsp

For Seasoning:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Hing - a pinch

Dry powders:
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - a pinch
Salt - as needed

Preparation:

• Heat a pan, add oil and add all the ingredients for seasoning.
• Once they crackle, add onions. When they turn pink, add tomato, ginger fry well
• Now add tamarind extract, coconut milk. Let this come to a boil.
• Let it boil for 4-5 mins.
• Add the cooked channa, dry powders, give a mix.
• Fry for 5 more mins. Once you get a nice aroma switch off the pan.

 Garnish with coriander leaves. Tastes great with rice/roti/poori.

Creamy Paneer Butter Masala

I always long for paneer butter masala but hesitated to prepare at home. Thanks to my blogger friends who have shared different ways of making this. I just took the ingredients from different recipes and tried this. It was easy to make and healthy. I didn't use cream here. Instead I used low fat yogurt and milk. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Paneer cubes = 1 cup
Yogurt - 2 tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Jeera - 1 tsp
Chopped onions - 1/2 cup
Chopped tomato - 3/4 cup
Chopped garlic - 1 tsp
Chopped ginger - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - to garnish
Oil - 1 tsp
Butter - 2 tsp(or as per taste)
Salt - as needed

Dry powders:

Chilly powder/paprika - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - a pinch

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a pan, add jeera. When they splutter add onions,garlic,ginger.
• When they turn brown add tomatoes and fry till they become soft. Keep aside, cool off and grind to a paste.
• Meanwhile mix all the dry powders with yogurt and set aside for 5 mins.
• Heat the pan, add butter. Once it melts add the ground paste along with the milk.
• Let this come to a boil.
• Add paneer and the yogurt mixture, salt, mix well.
• Boil for 3-4 mins until it becomes thick. Simmer for 5 mins and close the pan.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Great with rotis/pooris. 
Mix more butter at last for taste if you want to.

Have a great sunday!!!

Channa Pulusu/kuzhambu/Gravy

This is my own version of pulusu which I make often with a mild effect of tamarind juice. It goes very well with rice and ghee. Or the left over part can be used as a side dish for any indian bread for dinner. Its a bit time consuming but once done you will tend to make this often.:)

Ingredients:

Channa(Chick peas) - 2.5 cups(washed, soaked and boiled)

Chopped onions - 2 spoons
Chopped tomatoes -  2 spoons
Salt - to taste

Cinnamon stick - 1
Jeera - 1/2 spoon

Mild Tamarind juice - 1/2 cup
Oil - 2 spoons
Chopped coriander leaves - to taste

Spices:
Chilly powder - 1.5 spoons

Coriander powder - 1 spoon

Turmeric - 1 spoon

To Grind:
Garlic pods - 4(chop to pieces for ease of grind)
Chopped Ginger - 1 spoon
Green chillies - 2
Grated coconut - 3 spoons
Fennel seeds - 1 spoon
Jeera - 1 spoon
Chopped onion - 1 spoon
Chopped tomato - 1 spoon

Preparation:

• Heat a pan with little oil, mildly roast each of the ingredients listed for grinding and keep aside. Grind this with water to a paste once they cool off.
• Now in the same pan, add oil, jeera, cinnamon. Once they crackle, add onions and fry until pink.
• Add tomatoes, fry until they become soft. Add the spices and fry for 2 more mins.
• Once the raw smell of spices go off, add salt, tamarind juice and the made paste with little water.
• Let this mixture boil for few mins.
• At last add the channa and simmer for 5 mins.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and enjoy your channa gravy.

~~~just changed the color of the snap for a different look:))~~~