Chole Masala

Chickpeas are high in fiber, iron, vitamins and antioxidants. 20 percent of the legume is protein, a percentage comparable to meat's. The Latin name for the word chickpea means "small ram" because the legume somewhat resembles a ram's head. 

A Chinese company is attempting to patent chickpea extract as a diabetes medicine because it is shown to lower triglycerides and cholesterol, improve insulin sensitivity and regulate blood sugar.

Here is a classic chole masala recipe which can be made with either white or black chickpeas.

Ingredients:

Grind the following ingredients together to make the masala powder:
Coriander powder - 1 & 1/2  tsp
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Black salt - 1/2 tsp
Dry pomegranate seeds (anardana) - 2 tsp
Dried mango powder (amchur) - 1 & 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Dry fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) - 2 tsp
Big cardamom - 1
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Cloves - 4
Dry Ginger (sonth) - 1 tsp
Nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp
Mace - 1

Other ingredients:
Chickpeas - 250 grams
Bay leaf - 1
Onions - 2 medium
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Green chillies - 1
Ginger - 1" piece
Oil / Ghee - 1 tbsp
Lemon - 1
Salt - to taste

Method:

• Wash and soak the chickpeas for a couple of hours. Pressure cook it with water and a little salt and keep aside.
• Grind the onions, tomatoes, green chilli and ginger to make a paste. 
• Heat a heavy bottom pan and add 1 tbsp ghee or oil. Add the above paste, salt, and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the masala powder and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Now add the boiled chickpeas, 1/2 cup water and pressure cook for one whistle.
• Remove from flame and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Grandma's tip: Do not throw away the excess water that remains after boiling the chickpeas. This nutrition packed water could be used in the gravy. 

Palak Ki Poori

I was about 13 when I first saw round green puffed up pooris being served at a wedding. After 14 years, I tried to make them by myself; only to find out that they are not only easy to make, but delicious and nutritious  too.

Before

After

So, here is the recepie for PALAK KI POORI  (Served best with black chana (chickpea) gravy)

Ingredients:

Palak (spinach) - 1 bunch

Wheat flour - 4 cups

Ajwain (carom seeds) - 1 tsp

Green chilies - 1

Salt - to taste

Oil - to fry

Method:

• Wash the spinach and boil it in half cup water, along with some salt and green chilies  Boil for 5 minutes. Cool it, and grind to form a paste.
• To the flour, add salt, ajwain, and spinach paste. Knead it into a dough. (Add a little water if required)
• Rest the dough for 10 minutes.
• Split the dough in small parts, roll into pooris and fry in hot oil.

Tip for washing the spinach: Immerse the spinach leaves in a large tub of water and leave it for 5 minutes. Any soil in the leaves with settle at the bottom of the tub. Then gently remove the leaves. Preferably, do not cut the leaves while washing, to retain maximum nutrients.