Channa

Ingredients

• Channa - 1 cup
• Onion - 1 big
• Tomato - 2 big
• Green chilli - 2
• Ginger - 2"
• Clove - 3
• Cinnamon - 2"
• Cardamom - 2
• Butter - 1 tsp
• Cream or thick milk - 1/4 cup
• Chilli powder - 2 tb sp
• Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
• Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp
• Jaggery - 2 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves - 3 tb sp
• Salt - to taste

Method:

Soak the channa over night. Tie all the spices in a piece of cloth as a knot as a sack. Drain and pressure cook with enough water and alson with salt and spice sack.
Grind onion, tomato, green chilli and ginger to a paste.
Heat butter in a kadai and fry the paste well till the raw smell goes and the water evaporates. Add the chilli powder and salt.
Remove the spice knot.
when the oil comes out add the channa to it. and let it boil.
Add the tamarind paste, tomato ketch up. Check for salt and spice.
Add the jaggery. turn off the stove. Mix the cream, sprinkle the garam masala. Garnish with coriander leaves.

kadala Masalai

Ingredients:

• Chick pea (Cooked)  - 1 cup
• Onion - 1
• Tomato - 1
• Garlic - 2 pods
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Coconut milk - 1/4 cup (2 to 3 tb sp)
• Oil 
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves

Method

Take one cup of cooked channa. (Soak and pressure cook with salt).

Slice the onion and tomato. Crush the garlic.

In a kadai heat oil season with curry leaves and crushed garlic. Add the sliced onion and sauté well. when color changes add the tomato and sauté till it is cooked well. Add Chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt.

Add the cooked channa and toss it well.

Add a little water and cook till it is dry and mixes well. now add the coconut milk. (This of course is optional).

Sprinkle the garam masala powder toss once or twice and turn off the stove.

Its a good combination for curd rice or chapathi.

Note: Kids will like this much as a side dish for curd rice instead of vegetables daily. So once in a while you can fill the lunch box with this. Chick pea is a source of Zinc, Folate and Protein also rich in Dietary Fibers.