Kondaikadalai Korma.

Ingredients:

Brown/black small chana(garbonza)
Onions 2 finely chopped
Tomato 2 finely chopped
Fresh ginger paste 2 spoons
Fresh garlic paste 2 spoons
Green chilies 3 slitted
Curry leaves 3 twigs
Cloves 3
Cinnamon 3
Cardamom 3 pods
Fennel seeds 1 – 2 spoons
Bay leaves 2
Cas cas milk few spoons(2 spoons of cas cas wet ground…maybe after soaked in warm water)
Fresh coconut 1 (chopped and wet ground to thick milk)
Oil 1 cup
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Chili powder 1 -2 spoons
Oil few spoons
Cilantro leaves few to garnish.

Method:

Soak chana overnight or atleast 7 hours ahead cooking. Always soak them with enough water inside the fridge….never on the kitchen counter.(the water may get fermented)

Now pressure cook with the same water, add salt and little bit of turmeric and oil to this. Cook just till one whistle sounds.

Now set aside. Do not throw the chana cooked water. Retain it for further cooking.

In a pan heat oil, add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, fennel seeds, bay leaves, curry leaves and green chilies. Fry them for a while.

Now add onions and fry till golden brown.

Then add ginger – garlic paste to it. Fry them till its raw smell leaves.

Later add tomatoes and fry till it looses its water content.

Now add salt, turmeric, chili powder and cooked chana along with its water. Cover and cook over medium heat.

When the chana is done…add cas cas milk and thick coconut milk to this. Let it boil 3-5 times.

Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Serve this hot along with chapathis. One can try this even with dosa, appam, poori or even plain rice too.