Aloo Chana Masala or Aloo Chole Recipe
Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 25 mins | Serves: 4
Recipe Cuisine: Indian | Recipe Category: Side Dish

Ingredients:White Kabuli Chana (Chickpeas) – 1 cup Potatoes (Aloo), medium – 3 Dry mango – 4 inch piece *(See Notes) Red chili powder – 1 tsp Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds – 1 tsp Chana Masala powder – 1-1/2 tbsp Onion, medium – 1 Tomatoes, medium – 2 Green chilies – 2 Ginger – 1 inch piece Salt – to taste Oil – 1 tbsp
Instructions:Soak chickpeas in enough water overnight. The next day discard the soaked water and rinse well. Pressure cook in enough water with a pinch of salt till soft. Drain the water (stock). Do not discard the water as we are going to use it. Pressure potatoes till soft. Peel the skin and either cube them or quarter them. Chop the onion and tomatoes finely. Slit the green chilies. Grate the ginger. Soak the dry mango piece in 1/8 cup hot water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Grind to a paste using little more water if needed and keep aside.

Heat a pan with oil. Add cumin seeds and when it starts to sizzle, add grated ginger, green chilies and onions. Sauté over medium flame till it turns translucent.

Add the ground dry mango paste, cooked chana (chickpeas) and about 1/2 cup of water (stock) used for cooking the beans, salt and mix well.

Let it cook over low flame for 2-3 minutes. Now add tomatoes. red chili powder, chana masala powder, turmeric powder, mix well and close with a lid and let it cook for 4-5 mins over low flame. Now add potatoes and at this stage if the masala is dry then add 1/2 cup of chana stock or water and mix well. Once again close with a lid and let it cook over medium – low flame for another 3-4 mins till the curry comes together.

Take off stove and transfer to the serving bowl. Garnish with ginger juliennes. Serve hot with chapathis, rotis, puri or naans.
Notes:If you do not have dry mango pieces (raw mango vathal) then mix 2 – 3 tsp of amchur powder in little water. You can also grind dry pomegranate and use it instead. I normally keep aside 3-4 cubes of potato aside. I crumble or mash them well and it along with the cubed potatoes. This gives the gravy some consistency. You can either make this into a dry curry recipe or as a gravy. The choice is yours.