METHIWALE KABULI CHOLE (Rajasthani style)

INGREDIENTS:

Kabul channa - 1 cup
Methi leaves - 2 cups (tightly packed)
Green chillies - 2
Tomato - 1
Grated ginger - 1 tsp.
Coriander leaves (chopped) - 2 tablespoons
Besan flour - 2 tbsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Jeera powder - 1/4 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp.
Amchur powder - 1/4 tsp. OR tamarind paste - 1/4 tsp.
Cashew paste - 1 tablespoon
Hing - a pinch
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Cloves - 2 or 3
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Cardamom - 1
Butter - 2 tablespoons
Salt - as per taste

METHOD:

Soak chenna overnight. Drain out the soaked water. Fill fresh water upto an inch above the chenna. Pressure cook it with salt for 3 whistles. When the pressure releases, take out and drain the water completely and keep aside. Mash a ladle of channa separately.

Chop tomatoes into small pieces. Chop methi leaves and coriander leaves roughly. Chop green chillies. Grate ginger.

Heat a pan and dry roast besan flour till the raw smell is diffused. Take out, mix in water and make a slightly thick paste. Keep aside.

In the same pan, melt butter. When hot, add cumin seeds. When it splutters, add the whole spices, hing and turmeric powder. Add in the chopped green chillies, ginger and tomatoes. Saute for 2 minutes. Now add the chopped methi leaves alongwith salt. When the leaves are cooked add all the powders(except amchur powder). Saute for 1 minute and add the pressure cooked kabul channa and mashed channa. (If using tamarind paste add it at this stage). Pour in 1/2 cup of water and cook it covered for a while till the masala flavours are infused in the channa. When done, take out the lid and add the cashew paste & also the besan solution. Allow it to boil. Now add amchur powder and coriander leaves. Mix well and serve hot with rotis or parathas.

It can also be mixed with hot cooked rice and ghee.

NOTE: The original recipe can be found here. It was quite interesting without onion and garlic. But I changed certain ways to suit our family's tastes. The original recipe had a raw version of besan solution. But I dry roasted the besan flour and made a solution as I felt the besan flour will have a nice aroma when dry roasted. It was awesome.