Channa Curry

Channa Curry …Channa masala …is cooked in almost every Indian home. What amazes me the most is everybody makes it and everybody makes it differently!A simple dish that can have so many textures, consistencies, aroma and taste is definitely worth a spotlight here.

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Channa Curry …Channa masala …is cooked in almost every Indian home. What amazes me the most is everybody makes it and everybody makes it differently! Comparing every place I have ate Channa Curry, no two curries were similar! At home I make at least three variants of it and I call all of them Channa Curry :-)! A simple dish that can have so many textures, consistencies, aroma and taste is definitely worth a spotlight here.

Channa curry is a multi-spiced, high spirited, full masala dish but can be as mild or as hot as you like it! My spin on channa masala is I add lentils to the curry! Yes! Lentils give the curry a wholesome texture and earthiness.

Onions and tomatoes cooked together to make gravy. Sugars in both the tomatoes and the onions caramelize giving a sweet but also a tart tinge. Combining warm cooked lentils to the gravy gives the dish a homey and hearty touch. Channa slowly simmered in this gravy along with fragrant spices and masala is just nose tickling and mouth watering!

To me this is a wonderful comfort food– eaten with rice, chapatis, pooris or poured on top of a samosa to make a spicy chaat.

Channa Curry

Makes: 4 Servings

Channa	- 2 cup cooked	Ginger Garlic Paste	- 1 tsp
Toor Dal	-1/2 cup	Channa Masala	- 3-4 tbsps
Onions	- 1 chopped	Garam Masala	- 1 tbsp
Tomato	- 3 chopped	Chili Powder	- 1 tbsp
Clove	- 4	Turmeric powder	- 1 tsp
Cinnamon	- 1 inch stick	Salt	- to taste
Curry Leaves	- 4	Oil	- 3-4 tbsp

Cook dal in a pot of water or in a pressure cooker until just done. Do not make it mushy.

Heat oil in a pan. Add cloves, cinnamon, curry leaves and stir till it flavors the oil.

Add onions and cook until soft and translucent.

Add tomatoes and cook till it becomes mushy and combines with the onions to make gravy.

At this time, add the cooked lentils and all the powders ,masalas and salt. Cook for a couple of minutes. Pour in a cup of water if the curry starts to thicken.

Add the cooked channa to the curry, cover lid and cook for about 5 -10 minutes till the channa absorbs the taste of the curry.

When you feel right about the taste and consistency, turn off the stove.

Garnish with some cilantro and serve hot.

Carrot Halwa

Carrot Halwa, a popular Indian dessert, carrots slowly cooked in milk with cardamom and sugar until dry, then garnished with nuts roasted in ghee.Every spoonful of halwa has the taste of soft carrot blend with hint of cardamom and flavor of roasted nuts and warm ghee.

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Carrot Halwa, a popular Indian dessert, carrots slowly cooked in milk with cardamom and sugar until dry, then garnished with nuts roasted in ghee. Rich sensuous deep orange color, smell and warmth of ghee and cardamom, the contrasting texture of soft carrot and crunchy nuts and the intense sweetness make it totally irresistible!

Slowly simmer grated carrots in milk and cardamom allowing the natural sugars from the carrot to combine with milk. Add some sugar to intensify the sweetness and to bring out the bright orange color. The aroma exuded from roasting nuts in warm ghee is very tempting. Every spoonful of halwa has the taste of soft carrot blend with hint of cardamom and flavor of roasted nuts and warm ghee.

Carrot Halwa is one of the first desserts I attempted during the early days of my culinary adventure! In grad school finding time to cook a three course meal was close to impossible and dessert was totally not on the menu! The first time I made it, I used just 3 carrots! Yes, just 3!

Carrot Halwa

Makes- 2 servings

Carrots	- 5
Sugar	- 1 cup
Milk	- 1 1/2 cup
Cardamom	- 3-4 pods
Vanilla Essence	- 1 - 2 tbsps(optional)
Nuts	- a handful
Ghee	- 2 tbsp

Peel and grate carrots.

Heat milk in a heavy-bottomed pan, when bubbles start to form on the surface, add grated carrots and cardamom pods and bring to a boil.

Then, reduce the heat to low, stirring every few minutes until the milk has almost evaporated.

Now, add sugar and stir every few minutes until it soaks up all the sugar to give a bright reddish orange color.

At this point, heat ghee in another pan, add nuts of your choice (cashews, pistachios, almonds) and slightly roast them until they exude a warm aroma.

Add the ghee and nuts to the carrot halwa.Also, add the vanilla essence and stir to combine them together.

Remove from heat, and serve warm. Add a dollop of ice cream to make this experience merrier!