Capsicum - Tomato Channa

Ready to Serve Capsicum - Tomato Channa

 Capsicum - Tomato Channa is a spicy gravy dish. It goes well with all our indian main food like, plain rice, chapatis, pooris, rotis. dosas and idli. It can be a one of the side dish too.
Kabooli Channa is used with tomatoes and capsicum. There is a little twist in the curry. The spice I used here is puliyogre gojju (gojju combined with tamarind pulp, jaggery (not much), and little roasted groundnut). This puliyogre mixture gives a different tangy taste. I have added Rasam powder and little bit of Garma Masala also.
Lets see some benefits of having Kabooli Channa in our diet.
Kabooli Channa belongs to the legume family or pulses. They are an excellent source of Manganese, fiber, Folate. They also provide essential nutrients like Phosphorus, Iron, Copper, and Protein. They are good for people who suffer from constipation and disorder bowel movement. Kabooli Channa contain good source of anti oxidants. They help to lower the cholesterol level. Kabooli Channa helps to reduces the hot flashes is women during menstruation.
Capsicum - Tomato Channa do not contain onions or garlic and can be prepared for special days, festival days and feast. You can prepare this dish for kitty parties.
Here is a recipe of Capsicum -Tomato Channa which is spicy and tangy and finger licking dish which will be liked by each and every one I am sure.

Things Needed :

Kabooli Channa : 1 Cup
Tomatoes : 5 to 6
Capsicum : 1
Ginger : 1 Table spoon
Jeera : 1/ 2 Tea spoon
Methi Seeds : 1/4 Tea spoon
Puliyogre Mix : 1 Tea spoon (or 1 small marble size)
Salt : Required
Rasam Powder : 1 Tea spoon
Garam Masala Powder :3/4 Tea spoon
Jaggery : 1 Table spoon (Optional)
Coriander Leaves : 2 Table spoons
Oil : 1 Table spoon
Turmeric Powder : a pinch 
Ghee or Butter : 1 Table spoon

Method :

1. Soak Kabooli Chenna for 6 to 8 hours. Pressure cook this for 15 to 20 minutes with sufficient water. Leave it for cooling.
2. Wash and dee seed tomatoes and cut into small pieces. Wash and remove the outer skin of ginger wash again and grate it.

3. Wash and remove the seeds from capsicum and cut into small. 
4.. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and jeera. Fry for  10 seconds.

5. Add capsicum and fry nicely till soft. Add tomatoes, Turmeric powder and fry for 2 minutes.

6.  Add methi seeds, rasam powder, garam masala powder and salt. . Mix it nicely and let it cook nicely for a minute.

7.Add boiled channa mix it well and let it cook for 2 minutes.

8. Now put off the gas and add ghee or butter. Add cut coriander leaves and shift the curry to a serving bowl.
9. Serve hot Capsicum Channa with  the choice of your main dish or one of the side dish.
10. You can grate carrots and put on this Channa and it as Channa Chat.

Note :

You can add boiled potatoes to this Channa. Adding garlic or onions is optional. Adding tamarind pulp instead of puliyogre mix is also optional. Adding little jaggery not only adds to the taste, it helps to digest the food easily. Boiling (cooking) channa is a must or else the legume may harden and you may not be able to get the perfect taste. ( It does not digest easily also). Adding ghee instead of butter is optional. I have used home made rasam powder. You can use Maiyya's or MTR Rasam powder as well.
Serves : 4 to 5 
Time : 20 minutes 
+ soaking and cooking time .( 6 to 8 hours for soaking and 30 minutes for cooking)
Preparing Puliyogre gojju:  Soak a ball size (lemon size) of tamarind in hot water for 2 to 3 minutes and squeeze out the pulp. Keep it on the fire and add jaggery  and required salt. Slowly it starts thickening. Add rasam powder and dry roasted sesame powder. once it thickens remove from the pan and you can store them in air tight jars. Add mustard splutter with curry leaves and ingh and add it to the gojju. ( while preparing).

Cabbage Pakoda

Cabbage Pakodas are fried and savoury food and we can have them with a cup of hot tea or coffee or with a cup of fresh juice. It can be eaten at any time of the day. Munching Cabbage Pakoda is fun when you have a book to read or watching a movie.
We can prepare this Cabbage Pakodas for the kitty party or kids party. You can serve them as starters.
Though eating oily food is not that good for the body, you must not completely ignore or avoid oil. It has its own good benefits on your body. Remember that anything is too much or goes beyond the limit is always harmful.
I have used  rice flour, a little maida and rava (medium size). Shredded cabbage, green chilly and curry leaves with little spices.
Always use the oil which is necessary for frying. (Not full pan). Try not re fry the oil since it is very bad for our heart. So better use minimum oil (or wanted quantity).  
Cabbage Pakodas do not contain any onion or garlic.

Lets see the recipe :
Ingredients :
Rice flour : 1 Cup
Maida : 1 Table spoon
Rava : 2 Table spoons (I used medium sized Rava).
Green Chilly : 2 to 3
Jeera (cumin seeds) : 1 Tea spoon
Cabbage : 1 Bowl
Salt : Required salt
Oil : 1 Cup
Curry Leaves : 1 Handful

Method:
1. Wash and cut cabbage, green chilly and curry leaves in to small pieces.

2. Take a big bowl add rice, maida, rava, jeera and salt. Mix it nicely.

3. Add cut cabbage mixture.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat 2 table spoons of oil.

5. Add this hot oil to cabbage and rice flour mixture and mix it nicely.

6. Add water little by little and prepare dough. It should not be very thick or very watery.( Poori dough consistency).
7. Keep a pan and put oil and heat.  Take a handful of the prepared dough and prepare pakodas.

8. You can squeeze the dough using your fingers and leave a small ball size of dough in the oil at time.  Fry on both sides and remove from the pan. Fry on medium heat.

9. Put it on the kitchen tissue and let the extra oil absorb by the tissue.
10. Repeat the same with remaining dough. You can prepare 5 to 6 pakodas at time.
11. Serve hot pakodas with ketch up or any chutney.
12. Crispy pakodas can be enjoyed with a cup of coffee or tea.

Note :
The dough should be thick  (like poori dough consistency) or it absorbs more oil. You can also add cut onions if you wish.( I did not ). The taste may differ. Do not add coriander leaves as it turns the pakodas soft . Adding more chilly or any other spice is optional.
Time : 20 minutes.
Serves : 4 to 5.