Chana Ghassi: Winter Dal Recipe By Tarla Dalal

I know you will not believe me when I say it's cold in select parts of Mumbai. Especially for people who live in green zones near Thane's Ghodbunder, near Borivali East off the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, off Aarey Milk Colony in Goregaon East. And most importantly for people who live in Kandivali East, which is nestled cozily between Ghodbunder, Borivali and Goregaon.

I think I have made my point here.

So you will not complain much if I share a keeper of a recipe from Tarla The Kitchen Goddess Dalal. A recipe I make at least twice a week in winter. And which the man laps up happily with rotis or parathas.

Make this. It is easy, it is warm and it makes people incredibly happy.

Name: Chana Ghassi
Prep Time: Kala Chana soaked overnight, 20 minutes for 78 whistles, another 10 minutes of prep
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Recipe Source: Tarla Dalal
Serves: 2 hungry people

You need:

1 cup black horse gram / kala chana, soaked overnight, pressure cooked for 7-8 whistles
1/2 cup fresh coconut, grated (if you do not have this, dessicated with work too)
A stick of cinnamon / dalchini
4 cloves / laung
5-6 black peppercorns / kali mirch
3 whole dry red chillies / sukhi lal mirch, broken into pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
Finely chopped coriander leaves
Salt
Ghee

How To Make It:

- Fairly simple. Roast the coconut, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorn, whole dry red chillies broken into pieces in a dash of ghee until aromatic and mildly roasted. Grind this with chopped onions. Keep aside.

- Heat ghee in a pan. Add the masala to this. Now fry it about till they juices from the onion dry up. Add a dash of salt.

- Add the cooked chana dal. Mix well. If you wish to have some gravy to go with it, add the reserve water from the dal to this but remember to not make it too watery, the consistency must be thick. Adjust salt. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes.

- Serve hot garnished with fresh chopped coriander leaves. Eat with rice or rotis. Ooh, and happy Sankranti, Pongal, Lohri and all :D