Black Channas with Masala

This is an Asian spicy dish popular in the subcontinent. I was introduced to this dish by one of my Indian neighbors while living in Nairobi. It can be a tea time treat served with fried pakoras or dry crisps depending on individual taste. The dry crisps choices are chewra or spicy chilli chips
which can be bought from any Indian store.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
Black channas : 1 cup (pre soaked for atleast three hours and boiled with 1/4 teaspoon tumeric)
Potatoes: 3 medium sized boiled and cut into bite size cubes
Garlic paste : 1.5teaspoon
Ginger: 1/2 teaspoon
Green chilies : 4 - 5 sliced
Tomato paste : 2 table spoons
Turmeric powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Salt : To taste
Curry leaves : 6 - 7
Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
Tamarind paste : 3- 4 tblspoon or Raw mango 1 peeled, sliced and cut or juice of 2 lemons
Oil: 1.5 tblspoon
Chopped cilantro : 2 - 3 tblespoons

Method:
step 1- Heat oil in the pan, add in the mustard seed, and curry leaves. when the seeds start to splutter add in the sliced green chili, garlic ginger paste, turmeric powder and salt stir to combine and fry.
step 2- Remember to keep the flame on medium low. when the spices start clinging to the spoon add in the tomato paste stir to combine add in the boiled chickpeas, (save 2 tablespoons of chickpeas).
step 3- Add in the cubed potatoes but do not add all (save about 2 table spoons of potatoes). Stir to combine if need be add half a cup of warm water and cover the pan.
step 4- Blend the saved potatoes and chickpeas in a blender with little water and make a paste. then add it to the chickpeas curry.
step 5- now add in the tamarind paste or raw sliced mangoes or lemon juice (what ever is being used) covered cook a while on very low heat. This has some curry in it so do add water if needed.
step 6- add in the cilantro and close the flame and serve