Chana Bateta (chic pea and potato curry)

Mummy made quick (and tasty!) cooking an art.  We would gather at the table only a few minutes after she was at the stove.  One of her quickest recipes was this go-to item: Chana Bateta (chic pea and potato curry)

Pre-work:

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes

1 can of chic peas (aka garbanzo beans) 

Directions – Part 1:

1. Boil potatoes until cooked.  

2. Cut potatoes into small cubes and set aside

3. Open, strain, and rinse the can of chic peas and set aside

For the masala (curry):

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp oil

6 curry leaves

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 green chili, halved

1 large tomato

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 tsp turmeric (haider)

1 heaping tsp dhanna jero (ground cumin and coriander)

1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp ghram flour (aka chic pea flour) mixed with 1/8 cup cold water

2 cups hot water (optional)

Handful of chopped coriander leaves/stems

Directions – Part 2:

1. Heat oil on medium high heat

2. Sauté curry leaves, mustard seeds, chili, until the seeds pop

3. Add tomato, salt, turmeric, dhanna jero and cook for 2 minutes

4. Add tomato paste and ghram flour/water mixture, and cook for 5 minutes

5. Add strained chic peas, potatoes, and combine

            5.1 – If you like a dry masala, you’re done

            5.2 – If you like a runny masala, add hot water and simmer for 20 minutes

Note: Serve with a chevero, chips, and tamarind chutney (recipes coming soon)