Trinidad Style Curried Channa Recipes

CURRY CHANNA AND ALOO (POTATO)

Steps:

• If dried channa is used, pressure cook the channa in salted water (1 tsp salt) until tender. Drain and set aside the channa and the channa water. (Note: it is also recommended to soak the channa in water first. Strain and the pressure cook the beans).
• Wash, peel and chop the potatoes. Heat oil and add onion and garlic. Add the curry and cook until almost dry. Add potato and green seasoning. Stir until coated with curry.
• Add channa and mix. Then add the pimento and chadon beni. Add the "channa" water (about 2 cups).
• Cook until potatoes are tender and mixture is thick. Season with salt, geera, masala. Add pepper to taste.

CURRY CHANNA AND ALOO (POTATO)

Steps:

• If dried channa is used, pressure cook the channa in salted water (1 tsp salt) until tender. Drain and set aside the channa and the channa water. (Note: it is also recommended to soak the channa in water first. Strain and the pressure cook the beans).
• Wash, peel and chop the potatoes. Heat oil and add onion and garlic. Add the curry and cook until almost dry. Add potato and green seasoning. Stir until coated with curry.
• Add channa and mix. Then add the pimento and chadon beni. Add the "channa" water (about 2 cups).
• Cook until potatoes are tender and mixture is thick. Season with salt, geera, masala. Add pepper to taste.

TRINIDAD CURRY CHANNA AND ALOO RECIPE

Steps:

• Rinse channa thoroughly.
• Place in a bowl with 5 cups of water and cover. Leave to soak overnight.
• Rinse the channa again thoroughly at least three times.
• Mix the soaked peas with baking powder, green seasoning, sugar, and half of the salt.
• Set aside.
• In a large pot on medium heat, add oil and allow to heat up.
• Sauté onions until translucent.
• Add garlic and pepper. Sauté for two minutes.
• Mix in curry powder.
• Patch the curry for two minutes.
• Add ¼ cup of water and stir.
• Cook until the curry becomes a thick paste (5 minutes).
• Mix in potatoes.
• Add seasoned channa.
• Patch for ten minutes (the potatoes and chickpeas should release their own water).
• As the contents dry, add the remaining water, enough to completely cover the peas. Add more water for a thinner sauce.
• Cook until the channa is soft.
• Mash several peas to thicken the sauce.
• Taste test the peas and add the remaining salt (adjust down for lower salt intake)
• Serve hot.

TRINI CHANA AND ALOO

Steps:

• In a medium Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, add water to cover the chickpeas by 2 inches, and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming the foam, then lower to a simmer. Simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, until chickpeas are tender; drain, keeping the cooking water. (I like to use it later in the recipe; it's also a nice base for soups.)
• Meanwhile, purée the culantro and 1/3 cup water in a blender until smooth. Add a pinch of salt, the garlic and the chile. (Half a deseeded habanero will make the dish gently but noticeably hot. Adjust from there.) Blend until smooth. Stir the herb purée into the hot, drained chickpeas.
• Rinse and dry the pot. Peel the potato, and cut it into 3/4-inch chunks. In the pot, heat the oil over medium heat, add the curry powder and turmeric and stir, until very aromatic and just starting to darken. Carefully add the potatoes and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring, until you get a little sticking on the bottom of the pot, 3 to 5 minutes. Add a little water to scrape up the stuck parts, then add water to cover by 1/2 inch. (I use the chickpea cooking water, but Dolly Sirju prefers fresh water.) Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt.
• Bring the pot to a vigorous simmer, shy of a full boil, and cook until the potatoes are tender and the chickpeas are soft, about 30 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Chop some more culantro. Serve the curry with long grain white rice or roti, and garnish with chopped culantro.

TRINIDAD-STYLE CURRIED CHANNA

Steps:

• If cooking chickpeas from dried beans, soak the beans overnight, drain, and place in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Drain the chickpeas, reserving the cooking liquid. If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse the beans and set aside.
• Wipe out the same large pot you used to cook the chickpeas. Heat olive oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and serrano chile and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant.
• Add the curry powder, turmeric, cumin, and optional methi to the pot and stir for about 30 seconds.
• Add 1/4 cup water, chickpea cooking liquid, or broth to the pot and stir. Add the cooked chickpeas to the pot, cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Uncover the pot, add the remaining liquid and the salt and simmer uncovered for another 20 minutes.
• Stir in the chopped cilantro. Serve with brown rice .

CHANNA (CURRIED CHICKPEA FILLING FOR ROTI)

Steps:

• Heat the oil or ghee in a skillet and saute the onions over medium high heat, stirring constantly, for about 6 minutes, or until they are golden brown. When the onions are almost done, add the garlic and saute 2 minutes more. Add the curry and amchar powders and stir for 1 minute.
• Transfer the onion mixture to a cast iron or other heavy pot and add the chickpeas. Stir over medium heat until chickpeas are coated with the spices and onions. Add 1 cup of water, the Scotch bonnet pepper and salt to taste; stir. Bring to a simmer, cover and let simmer over low heat for 1/2 hour. (If the mixture dries out, add a little more water; the finished channa should be slightly thicker than a thick bean soup.) Let cool for a few minutes before adding to the roti.