Chhola Dab^al For AlifBe ~ 16
Chickpeas curry topped over laadi pao and garnished with chutney, onion slices and sev.
Ingredients
  • 200 gm Kabuli chana
  • 2 large onions, finely chopped
  • 3 tomatoes, grated
  • 2 green chillies
  • 3 cloves of garlic and 1 inch piece of ginger, pounded
  • 1+1 Tej patta *
  • 1+1 Black Cardamom*
  • 1 inch piece of Cinnamon
  • ½ tsp Turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp red chilli powder (or according to taste)
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp Garam masala ( or you can use Chole masala)
  • Oil 2 tbsp
  • Salt
  • Two small potatoes, cut in chunks (Optional)
To assemble Chola Dabhal (1 small serving)
  • 1 Pao ( laadi pav)
  • A cup of Chole curry
  • 2 tsp Green chutney (Mint coriander)
  • Handful of Nylon sev
  • Fresh coriander leaves to garnish
  • Some lemon juice or 1 tsp of tamarind water
  • Some slices of onion
Method
  1. Pick, rinse Kabuli chana few times, with water and soak overnight.
  2. Drain and add soaked chana to a pressure cooker and pour water to submerge chana completely. Add salt, 1 tejpatta* and a black cardamom * and close the lid of pressure cooker.
  3. Put it on the flame.
  4. Cook for two whistles and put off the gas.
  5. When pressure subsides, drain boiled chana and reserve the water. Do not throw away the water.
  6. Now in the pressure cooker, pour 2 tbsp of oil and add 1 tejpatta *, cinnamon and a black cardamom*. Add pounded ginger garlic. Cook for a minute and then add finely chopped onions.
  7. On medium to low flame keep cooking onions till nice brown. Do not increase the flame.
  8. Add turmeric powder and chilli powder and chopped green chillies.
  9. Immediately add drained boiled chana (Please note: Pre boiling chana is an optional step. I boil it if I am not sure about how fresh the stock is. You can skip pre boiling and use raw soaked chana at this stage).
  10. Add grated tomatoes and some salt (remember there is salt in reserved water too), coriander powder and keep cooking on high flame, mixing intermittently till oil separates out.
  11. Add the reserved water (if you have boiled chana) or hot water ( if you are using raw soaked chana) and make sure that the chole are completely submerged in water.
  12. If using potatoes, add it at this stage. Mash some chana to thicken the gravy.
  13. Add some chopped coriander leaves, garam masala powder and close the lid.
  14. After a whistle, put the flame on minimum and let chole cook under pressure for 12-15 minutes.
  15. To make Chhola Dabhal, tear off Pao in big chunks in a serving plate or bowl and pour Chhole (the curry), garnish with some chutney, onion slices, lemon juice or tamarind water and nylon sev.
  16. Serve/eat immediately!
Recipe by Sindhi Rasoi |Sindhi Recipes at https://test.sindhirasoi.com/2021/04/chhola-dabal-for-alifbe-16/