Aloo Channa

Aloo Channa is a very delicious traditional Indian curry recipe. It is spicy, considerably hot, and full of flavor. Potatoes and Channa or chickpeas are a great combination to make a dish. One of the reasons they make good curries together is because both can absorb whatever flavor you add to the dish.

Aloo Channa is a dish that can be prepared easily and it’s refreshing to eat. You can serve this dish as an evening snack or a light meal. It can also be served with rice, bhaturas, or parathas.

Here is the recipe to make a healthy and delicious Aloo Channa dish.

Health Benefits

Aloo Channa is a very nutritious dish because of the many beneficial ingredients it is made with. The potatoes it is made with will give your body a good amount of fiber, which helps the body fight certain diseases such as diabetes by improving lipid, insulin, and blood sugar levels.

By regularly eating Aloo Channa dish you’ll be doing your body a lot good due to certain nutrients it contains, such as vitamin K, calcium, phosphate, iron, magnesium, zinc and manganese, all of which contribute to maintaining and building bone strength and structure.

Ingredients

Chickpeas--cooked: 2 cups

potatoes–boiled, peeled, and cut into cubes: 2

ghee or oil: 1½ tbsp

chillies – slit horizontally: 2

ginger -- julienned: 1 inch

cinnamon stick: 1

small cloves: 5

cardamom: 4 pods

red chilli powder: 1 tsp

Bhuna curry paste or bhuna masala: 1½ cups

powdered turmeric: ½ tsp

cumin powder: 1 tsp

finely ground coriander: 1 tbsp

powder garam masala: 1 tsp

salt to taste

Handful of coriander – roughly chopped for topping

How To Make Aloo Channa

1. Blend bhuna masala until smooth.

Note: to make bhuna masala, heat 1 tbsp of ghee or oil in a large pan and splutter cumin seeds. Add 1 tsp garlic-ginger paste, 3 chopped onions, and 1 tsp chilli and saute until the onions become translucent, and then add 1 tsp ground coriander powder, ½ tsp ground turmeric powder, ½ tsp ground garam masala powder, and 4 chopped tomatoes.

Cook for about 7 mins and let cool.

2. In a kadhai or casserole, heat ghee and add chillies, cardamom, cloves, and ginger. Sauté for a minute on low flame.
3. Add bhuna masala and gently stir in turmeric powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, and salt. Cover with a lid and let cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add boiled potatoes, chickpeas and about ½ cup water, bring to boil, cover with a lid and let simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.
5. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with parathas, bhaturas, or rice.

Trivia

There is tangible evidence that Chickpeas were first widely cultivated as far back as 7500 BC in the Middle East. Because of its popularity, it was soon cultivated and consumed in several ancient civilizations like Greece, Egypt, and Rome.