Gravy based chole

Gravy based chole ( Chana masala in a gravy base):

One of the most demanding dish from restaurants is the Chana masala or chole masala served with bhatura or parata. Original chole masala recipe is actually from the Northern parts of India and is basically prepared in the dry form. I have prepared this version many times and served with either Puri ( bhatura) or parata.

Today I thought of buying some Pao from our local breadseller- the poder who comes early morning with his hot hot breads. So I needed some gravy for my chole masala. These gravy based chole goes well with slice bread too!! 

Having a gravy base idea in my mind I proceeded to the recipe of chole where in I used grinded onion, tomatoes and some curd to come up with a gravy based Chana masala.

We Goans always love our breakfast with Pao or local bread instead of oily stuffes like puri /bhatura or parata which just find it's way hard to run through our food pipe.

So Goenkarano, let's quickly have a look on my recipe of gravy based chole so that you can have a slightly twist in your breakfast of tonak Pao to chole Pao.

Ingredients and recipe:

Soak 1 cup of chole chana for 7-8 hrs. 

Then pressure cook them for 10 whistles (overnight or at day time from morning till evening) with a tsp of salt. Wait for at least 1 hr before you open the cooker. 

In mixer grind 4 medium long slitted onions, 4 garlic pods and 1 inch ginger to a paste. Do not use water. Remove the paste and keep aside.

Then puree 2 fat tomatoes in mixer.

Heat a vessel add 2 tbsp oil, spices like 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon, 1 black masala elaichi, 1 cardamom, 1 tsp jeera.

Saute everything. Then add above grinded onion ginger garlic paste.

Saute very well till raw smell goes. Then add 1 tsp each of dry masalas - haldi powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, chole masala or chana masala powder of any brand.

Saute very well. Close with a lid for 1 min. 

Then add tomato puree. 

Saute well. Close with lid for another 2 mins. 

Separate the cooked chole from it's water in 2 separate bowls.

Then add only the cooked chole and saute well. 

Add Chaat masala -2 tsp, kashmiri red chilli powder-2 tsp, garam masala-2 tsp. Saute and then add 1/4 cup curd. 

Mix everything well. 

Then add around 2 cups of remained chole water and let it boil. 

Add required salt, a tsp of sugar as per your taste. Mix well.

Then add 1 bowl of chopped coriander leaves, 2 tbsp again of chole masala and on top 2 tbsp of ghee. 

Mix well. Give a boil and you are done. Off the flame. Let it rest for about 30 mins to 1 hr aside for flavours to get well mixed.

Serve with Pao/bread with chopped onions, chopped coriander leaves, and lemon. 

This is a gravy based chole, which you can relish with bhatura or parata too!! Some quick images with bread have been given below!!

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