Chickpea Curry (Chana Bhatur) and Poori Recipe from Spice Field by Sunil Ghai

This chickpea curry is so easy however so versatile. It’s significantly good served with pickled purple onions and poori (deep-fried puffed breads) for scooping up the curry, however you possibly can’t go improper with a easy mattress of plain boiled basmati rice and naan.

Serves 4

Elements:

1. To mood the entire spices:

• 70g butter, ghee or vegetable oil
• 8–10 black peppercorns
• 3–4 cloves
• 2 inexperienced cardamom pods
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 contemporary or dried purple chillies, halved lengthways
• 1 cinnamon stick

2. For the curry:

• 1 giant onion, finely diced (200g)
• 1 tsp positive sea salt
• 2–3 contemporary inexperienced chillies, halved lengthways
• 1 tbsp grated or finely chopped contemporary ginger
• 1 tbsp grated or finely chopped garlic
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, floor in a pestle and mortar
• 2 tbsp floor coriander
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp floor cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp freshly floor black pepper
• 200g tomato passata or 1 x 227g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3. To complete:

• 1 contemporary inexperienced chilli, finely diced
• thumb-sized piece of contemporary ginger, lower into matchsticks
• ½ small ripe tomato, chopped
• juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tbsp chopped contemporary coriander
• pinch of garam masala

4. To serve:

Poori (recipe beneath) or naan/rice

Prep:

1. Measure out your spices into two separate small bowls: one bowl for the entire spices and one for the bottom fennel, coriander, paprika, cumin, garam masala and floor black pepper for the curry.
2. Prep and measure out all of the remaining elements earlier than you begin cooking in order that every thing is able to go and the spices don’t burn. 

Technique:

1. Soften the butter or ghee or warmth the oil in a big heavy-based saucepan over a medium warmth. Add the peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, purple chillies and cinnamon stick and cook dinner for 1 minute, till aromatic. 
2. Add the onion and salt and cook dinner for about 5 minutes, till the onion is softened and flippantly browned. Add the inexperienced chillies, ginger and garlic and cook dinner for 1 minute extra.
3. Add the bottom spices and 50ml water in order that the spices don’t burn. Prepare dinner for 1 minute earlier than including the tomatoes. Cut back the warmth and simmer gently for about 10 minutes to convey all of the flavours collectively – it will likely be very thick at this level.
4. Add the chickpeas and crush one-quarter of them with the again of the spoon, then stir in one other 300ml water. Simmer for one more 5 minutes, then style and modify the seasoning with extra salt and pepper if wanted.
5. To complete, toss collectively the inexperienced chilli, ginger, tomato, lemon juice, contemporary coriander and garam masala in a bowl. Take away the pan from the warmth, stir in all of the ending elements and permit the curry to accept 5 minutes. 
6. Serve with pickled purple onions on prime so as to add some chunk and poori for scooping up the curry.

Poori

These deep-fried breads will puff up like a balloon while you cook dinner them and are both eaten with a curry, or on their very own as a snack. 

Makes about 16

Elements:

• 500g positive wholemeal flour (or chapati flour if you may get it)
• 50g semolina (elective, for further texture)
• ½ tsp positive sea salt
• 300ml water
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus further for deep-frying

Technique:

1. Combine the flour, semolina (if utilizing) and salt collectively in a big bowl, then pour within the water and the tablespoon of oil. Use your fingers or a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook to knead collectively right into a agency dough – this may take wherever between 5 and 10 minutes and it’s possible you’ll want an additional splash of water to assist it come collectively. 
2. Cowl with a clear, damp tea towel and put aside to relaxation in a heat place for at the very least 20 minutes, however the longer you possibly can depart it, the higher. The dough will probably be very stiff and tight at first, however as soon as it has rested it would have relaxed to the right texture and will probably be straightforward to work with, so don’t be tempted so as to add extra liquid until you really want it.
3. Warmth the oil in a deep-fryer to 200°C (or 190°C in case your fryer doesn’t go that prime). Make certain the oil is actually scorching earlier than you begin cooking – if it isn’t, you’ll by no means get good poori.
4. Tip the dough out on to the work floor and briefly knead. Break off a 30g portion, roll right into a ball and press all the way down to flatten, then use a rolling pin to roll out till it’s about 10cm throughout. You need the dough to be rolled out thinly however not too skinny – you don’t need the bread to crisp up like a poppadum.
5. Working with one dough circle at a time, deep-fry the poori within the scorching oil till they’re hyped up and light-weight golden on either side, utilizing tongs to show them over. Drain on a baking tray lined with kitchen paper to soak up any extra oil.
6. Make certain the oil has come again as much as temperature earlier than you cook dinner the following one. Serve heat.