Channa Pepper Masala Recipe | Pepper Channa Recipe | Chickpeas Pepper Masala

Today's recipe is an easy, spicy, flavor rich and healthy side dish prepared using chickpeas/kabuli channa and freshly ground spices with lots of onion, in other words its a south Indian Style Channa Masala with Pepper Flavor. I make pepper chicken the same way and it is my kids favorite recipe. During Purattasi Month, when we skip chicken I used to make chicken recipes with vegetables or paneer or chickpeas or soya.  So, Next to Pepper Chicken, this Pepper Channa Masala is our favorite and we love to eat it with plain rice or as a side for Rasam & Rice.

The freshly ground pepper, fennel seeds, cloves and lots of onion, curry leaves takes this simple channa stir fry to a next level. My elder one after tasting this pepper channa, he said that it takes exactly like pepper chicken except with chickpeas, so when you put this recipe on your blog you can name it as Pepper Chicken Chickpeas :D This pepper channa masala pairs so well with curd rice too. I made it like a dry sabzi but still with lots of onions it makes a good side dish for rotis too.

Pepper Channa Recipe

Prep Time : 20 Minutes | Cook Time : 15 Minutes or less

Recipe Category : Side Dish | Recipe Cuisine : Indian

Serves 4

Ingredients

1. Dry Kabuli Channa/Chickpeas    1/2 cup (washed & Soaked Overnight)
2. Onion    1 large, about 1 cup(finely chopped)
3. Ginger   1 tsp(finely chopped)
4. Garlic    1 tsp(finely chopped)
5. Curry leaves   1 sprig
6. Green chilli  1 no.(chopped)
7. Turmeric Powder   1/4 tsp
8. Chilli Powder    1/2 tsp
9. Garam Masala Powder   1/2 tsp
10. Salt   to taste
11. Cilantro   2-3 tbsp(finely chopped)
12. Oil  3 tsp
13. Cumin seeds/Jeera   1/4 tsp
14. Fennel Seeds/Saunf   1/4 tsp

To Grind

1. Pepper Corns   2 tsp
2. Fennel Seeds/Saunf    3/4 tsp
3. Clove    5 no.

Method

• Take overnight soaked channa/chickpeas in a pressure cooker add enough water, 1/4 tsp hing and a pinch of turmeric powder and cook for 4-5 whistles and keep aside.
• In a small mixer jar add pepper corns, fennel seeds, clove and grind it to a fine or little coarse powder and keep ready.
• Heat oil in a kadai, when it is hot add jeera and saunf and allow to splutter, then add curry leaves, green chilli, finely chopped ginger, garlic and fry well.
• After that add half of the ground pepper-fennel-clove powder, stir and add finely chopped onion and saute until it turns nice golden brown and soft (it take 4-5 minutes)
• And then add chilli powder, garam masala and stir fry for a minute and add cooked channa with 1/4 cup of stock/cooked channa water, enough salt stir well and cook covered for 3 minutes.
• Then open the lid and cook for another 2-3 minutes and lastly add remaining ground black pepper powder mix, cilantro, curry leaves and stir fry for a minute and switch off the stove.
• That's it..Spicy Pepper Channa Masala ready. Serve hot as an accompaniment with rice, roti, puri or pulao. I served along with Jeera Rice & Dal.

Notes :
Do not throw the channa cooked water as its a protein rich stock, you can use it in sambar, rasam or dal.
To make it like a curry you can also add 1/2-3/4 cup finely chopped tomato to the above recipe, if so add the tomato after sauteing onions.
The same way you can also make pepper chicken recipe. For a quicker version, you can also use canned chickpeas. 

Step By Step Recipe for Channa Pepper Masala : 
First pressure cook overnight soaked channa and keep ready. Heat oil in a kadai, fry ginger garlic, green chilli, curry leaves and add ground pepper-fennel-clove powder stir well.

Then saute onions to nice golden brown and add dry spice powder, stir fry well and add cooked chickpeas with 1/4 cup water.

Mix everything well, cook covered for 3-4 minutes, lastly add remaining ground pepper masala powder, curry leaves, cilantro and stir well, simmer for a minute and switch off the stove. That's it, pepper channa ready.