Basale - Channa Dal Curry

Basale is known as Malabar spinach. Basale- Channa Dal curry is a gravy dish. It is very easy to prepare and we can have this  curry with chapatis, roti, naans, pooris , dosas, idlis and plain rice.

This type of curry is called Sai baaji  in Maharasta. Leaves are cooked with channa and simple spices like green chilly, ginger, ingh etc and seasoned with jeera. ( They add onions and garlic).
Lets see some benefits of having Channa Dal in our diet.
Channa dal or Split Bengal Gram is popular legume in India. It is delicious, nutritious and easily digested. It is high in fiber and helps to lower cholesterol. It has a very low glycemic index which is very important for the diabetes. Channa dal contain minerals like zink, folate, calcium and protein. It is low in fat and it is unsaturated.
No onion or garlic used in the curry. It is easy to prepare. Basale soppu used here is grown in our home.
Things Needed :
Basale Soppu (Malabar Spinach) : 1 bowl. ( 1 Bundle ).
Channa Dal: 1 Cup
Green Chilly : 2 to3 or more
Ginger : An inch
Tomatoes : 2 to 3
Potatoes : 2
Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Ingh : a pinch
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Coriander Leaves : 1 Table spoon.
Garam Masala : 1 Tea spoon
Pepper pods : 3 to 4
Salt : to taste
Ghee : 1 Table spoon
Turmeric powder : a pinch

Method : 
1. Wash and cut Basale Leaves. Keep it aside. Wash and cut potatoes and tomatoes. ( Removing the skin of potato is optional).
2. Wash and pressure cook Channa dal for 8 to10 minutes and keep it aside.

3. Wash and cut green chilly, coriander leaves and curry leaves. Grate ginger.
4. Crush pepper pods and keep it aside.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and put basale leves, potatoes and a cup of water. Cook till soft.

6. Add tomatoes, ginger and mix it well. Add turmeric powder, pepper pods and cut chilly.
7. Add cooked dal and salt. Add garam masla and mix it well. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

8. Keep a small pan and heat. Add oil. Add mustard seeds, urid dal and let it splutter.
9. Add jeera and fry for 10 seconds. Add curry leaves and ingh. Pour this muster mixture to the ready dal.

10. Shift the ready Basale  - Channa dal Curry to a serving bowl. Add Ghee and mix it and serve with the main dish.

Note :
You must cook dal and leaves till they are soft and it can be mixed well. Adding more spices is optional. Adding onion and garlic is also optional. Taste may differ. Adding more or less chilly is optional. Adding garma masala is also optional. Consistency of the curry also optional.Thick consistency taste better.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 4.