Tuesday, October 30, 2012

chhole with naan

Chhole, chickpeas or garbanzo beans are a part of legume family. I usually cook other legumes like matki,moong,black eyed peas. This one comes every once in a while. I make poli/roti with it but this time an opened packet of yeast was on the counter so instead I gave a shot at making naans! Result was very soft and tasty! I am never going back to store bought naans.
                          Making chhole couldn't be simpler . Ask her. So simple and yet so tasty. I am noting down recipe here with my additions/alterations.



For naan
1 cup all purpose flour/maida
1/2 tea spoon dry yeast
1 tb oil
1 tea spoon sugar
pinch of salt
1 tea spoon minced garlic
1 tea spoon minced chillies
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 tb yoghurt

For Chhole
1 cup dried garbanzo beans
1 bay leaf
1 tea spoon red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)
1 tea spoon amchoor powder (dry mango)
1/2 tea spoon cumin powder
1/2 tea spoon coriander powder
1 tea spoon chana masala
1/4 tea spoon garam masala
1 medium size onion grated (optional)
1 medium size tomato (grated or use 1/2 tb spoon tomato paste - optional)
salt to taste

Method:
To make naans, mix together 1/4 cup warm water,yeast and sugar and set aside for 10 minutes. The mixture should bubble up in 10 minutes. If not, the yeast is not active. Discard the mixture and start again. In the meantime, mix together flour,minced chillies and mined garlic and blend everything together.Add yoghurt and yeast mixture and pulse again. Add oil and salt and pulse again until the ball is formed. (You may have to add 1-2 table spoons extra water to make dough.)Transfer the dough onto a plate and knead for 4-5 minutes. Coat the dough with oil and transfer into a well oiled bowl and keep the bowl in a warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, dough will double in size.Punch down the dough and divide it in 4 equal balls. At this time, you can make the naans immediately or refrigerate the dough for using later. Roll each ball into 1/4 inch thick oval shape. Transfer rolled dough/naan onto a greased baking tray and broil in 400 F oven for 5-7 minutes or until naans are golden brown. Remove from oven, spread 'ghee'/butter on hot naans and serve immediately.
                To make chhole, start with soaking garbanzo beans in water for at-least 8 hours. Rinse and cook them in enough water to cover the beans and a bay leaf in pressure cooker with 2-3 whistles. Drain the beans in colander and transfer warm beans into a mixing bowl after discarding bay leaf. Add all the spices and toss everything together. Heat oil in large pot, add cumin seeds and mustered seeds. When they start to pop or sizzle, add the 'spiced' beans and stir. Add little water at a time to make the gravy. Adjust salt to taste. Serve hot!


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