I have been a fan of Maharashtrian cuisine since my hostel days because of the spice palate and thanks to my Maharashtrian friends. Marathi dishes are very flavorful and spicy, and people know that I love my spice. So, this is my version of the first Malvani dish I made – spicy and tasty.
Ingredients
- For the Chana Masala
- 2 Cups Brown Chana (soaked and boiled)
- 1 Tbsp Oil
- 1 Tomato
- 1 Potato (boiled, peeled and mashed)
- 6 Garlic Cloves
- 3 Tbsp of Tamarind Pulp
- 1/2 Tbsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Cream
- 1 Tbsp Jaggery
- Water
- Salt to Taste
- For the Malvani Masala
- 4 Kashmiri Chilis
- 1/2 Cup Dry Coconut
- 3 Tbsp Dhania Seeds
- 1 Tbsp Jeera
- 3 Cloves
- 5-6 Peppercorn
- 2 Cardamom
- 1 Black Cardamom
- 1 Tsp Poppy Seeds
- 1 Star Anise
- 25 mm Cinnamon
Preparation
Prep: 40 minutes
Cooking: 40 minutes
- To prepare the masala, roast all the dry ingredients (Kashmiri chilli, dhania seeds, jeera, cloves, peppercorn, cardamom, black cardamom, poppy seeds, star anise and cinnamon) for about 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
- Then add the dry coconut and roast until the masala releases its aroma (adding the coconut with the masala, in the beginning, gets a little burnt flavour in the coconut).
- Let the masala cool down and mix it in a blender with some water to make a smooth paste.
- For the sabzi, blend tomatoes and garlic cloves into a smooth paste.
- Then add 1 tbsp oil to a deep non-stick pan. Once the oil is hot, add the tomato-garlic paste to it and season with salt. Let it cook until the tomato releases oil.
- While the tomato is cooking, take half a cup of the brown chana and blend in a mixer until coarse.
- Once the tomato releases its oil, add ½ tbsp turmeric powder and the prepared Malvani masala. Cook this for around 4-5 minutes on low heat.
- Next, add the coarse chana mixture and cook it for 1-2 minutes on low heat.
- Now add the remaining boiled chana and mashed potatoes. Add water (about 2-3 cups) according to the consistency required of the gravy. Put the tamarind pulp and jaggery. Increase the heat to medium until the gravy starts to simmer and then turn it back to low. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Lastly, add the fresh cream and let it cook for 1-2 minutes.
Watch
USEFUL TIPS
Serve in a serving bowl and garnish with chopped dhania. It tastes best with Malvani wade but can be eaten with puri, paratha, chapati or even rice. Also, serve some chopped onions and lemon on the plate to enrich the taste of the dish.