Ghungi: Brown Chickpea Dry Curry
- Total Time: 6 hours 30 mins
- Yield: 4
Description
You can use regular chickpeas but the traditional dish is made of the firmer and slight nutty flavored Bengal Gram.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) brown chickpea (Bengal Gram)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) onion, chopped
- 2-3 green chilies
- 1 medium potato, cubed
- 1 tomato, cubed
- 1/2 tsp garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp ginger paste
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- Salt, according to taste
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) oil
- Cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Soak chickpeas in water for about 5-6 hours
- Boil chickpeas until soft
- Dry roast cumin and coriander until fragrant and grind into a powder
- Heat oil in a pan
- Add onion and green chilies and fry for 1-2 minutes
- Add potato and all spices, stir and cook until semi-soft
- Add tomato and boiled chickpeas
- Season with salt
- Mix well and cook on low medium heat
- Turn off stove when potato is cooked and oil separates from chickpeas
- Serve with cucumber, tomato and cilantro
- Prep Time: 6 hours
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 220
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bengal Gram, and can I use regular chickpeas instead?
Bengal Gram (also called brown chickpea or kala chana) is a smaller, darker variety of chickpea with a firmer texture and a slightly nuttier flavor than the pale cream chickpeas common in Western grocery stores. Regular chickpeas can be used, though the traditional dish calls for Bengal Gram.
Why does the recipe call for dry-roasting the cumin and coriander before adding them?
Dry-roasting the whole cumin and coriander in a pan until fragrant, then grinding them to a powder, releases the volatile oils in the spices and intensifies their flavor before they go into the dish. This is a key step that distinguishes the depth of this curry from simply using pre-ground spices.
How do I know when the curry is done?
Cook on low-medium heat until the potato is cooked through and the oil begins to separate from the chickpeas. The oil separation is the visual cue that the spices have properly bloomed and the dish is ready to serve.
