Methi Channa Masala

Few days ago I saw fresh methi leaves on the way back home. I love methi and I always try different side dishes to have with phulka. Bought four bunches thinking of aloo-methi. All the way I was drooling about aloo-methi and at home didn't see any aloo left :( Ahhhhh! Disappointing! Then an idea came to my mind ... how about Kabuli channa? So, there it goes ... soaked channa ...

Ingredients:

1 cup Kabuli channa (also known as bengal gram or chickpeas or garbanzo beans)
2 cups finely chopped methi leaves (fenugreek leaves)
1 big onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
2 teaspoons red chili powder (depends on how spicy you would like), you can use finely green chilies too!
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon oil

Method:

Soak channa overnight or 6-8 hours. Pressure cook with salt till soft. Or otherwise you can use canned pre-cooked channa too.

In a wide saucepan, heat a tablespoon oil. Add ginger garlic paste, fry well. Add chopped onion fry well.  Add chopped methi and little water, cook covered. When methi leaves soften add salt and masala powders. Mix well.

Add the cooked channa with some more water. Cook for couple of more minutes until all the water evaporates.

The soft and creamy texture of Kabuli channa and the caramelized taste of methi with faint bitter taste goes very well together. I like the dry side dish with roti and thick curd.

I tried a variation to serve it as curry with rice. I added puree of a tomato and cooked up to curry consistency. It tastes yummy both ways.

Enjoy the great food!

This recipe is linked to Fenugreek and Chili event hosted by Palakkad Chamayal and Erivum Puliyum.