Trini Chana And Aloo Recipes

CURRY CHANNA AND ALOO

Steps:

• Pick over chickpeas, remove any stones and debris and wash with several changes of water. Soak chickpeas in about 5 cups of water overnight. Drain.
• Add 8 cups of water and chickpeas to a saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. After it comes to a vigorous boil, reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking until fork tender but not mushy, about 20-25 minutes(could take longer on your stove). Strain, reserving liquid (produces about 5 cups of liquid).
• Grate or mince garlic. Mince culantro. Peel, wash and cut potatoes in quarters lengthwise, wash and roughly chop scallions and thyme. [chopped thyme sprigs are inedible and could be dangerous for kids. For this reason, I usually keep thyme whole and remove whole sprigs after cooking is complete.]
• Make curry paste. Mix curry, half of garlic(6 cloves), minced culantro (bandhania) and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl.
• Pour oil into a large heavy bottomed pot over high heat, heat. When hot, add methi, cook until it darkens. Add the onion and hot pepper, cook for 3 minutes. Add remainder of garlic and cook until the edges of the onion become golden brown.
• Add curry paste and cook until it darkens, becomes grainy and fragrant and separates from oil, about 3-5 minutes. At this point you can rinse the "curry paste" bowl with a little water{1 tablespoon} and add to pot.
• Add potatoes and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add chickpeas, scallion, thyme, remainder of minced culantro and salt. Cook about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent chickpeas and potatoes from sticking.
• Add reserved liquid and enough water to cover the chickpeas and potatoes, about 5-6 cups. Stir, scraping up the spices at the bottom of the pot.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, [stirring every 8 minutes and cutting potatoes in half using spoon], until potatoes are tender and sauce thickens (but not totally evaporated), about 40-60 minutes. [At the end of cooking, I mash about 4 pieces of potato with the back of the spoon to allow the sauce to thicken more rapidly]. If the chickpeas are not tender enough for your liking, continue to add two cups of water, in increments, until it's your desired texture. Some like it more firm than others. It helps to stir the pot repeatedly for about 5 minutes to bring it to the right consistency.
• Remove cover, stir in cumin and chopped culantro and cook for an additional 5 minutes until sauce thickens but is not totally evaporated.
• Rest for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow sauce to thicken further.

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.

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 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.