This started off because I had small quantities of some ingredients that I wanted to use up. Works beautifully with rotis/phulkas/puris or make less thick and pair with rice. It’s creamy and spicy without being heavy, and is easy to make.
Ingredients
1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight
2 tbsp rajma, soaked overnight
1/4 cup split black gram
2 tbsp ghee or oil
3 tbsp milk (optional)
Juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp kasuri methi
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp sugar (optional)
Salt, to taste
For the curry paste
1/4 cup grated fresh coconut
1 medium sized tomato
1 tbsp roasted, de-skinned peanuts or fried dal
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp clove powder
1 green cardamom
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 dry red chillies
Instructions
1. Pressure cook chickpeas, rajma and black gram together, with salt and sufficient water to cover, until soft. I let it cook for 5 whistles. Remove and set aside once the pressure releases on its own.
2. Blend together the ingredients for the paste with very little water until smooth.
3. Heat oil/ghee in a pan. Add the paste and saute until an aroma emanates. Add turmeric and kasuri methi.
4. Add the cooked chickpeas, rajma and gram alongwith the water in which it was boiled and the milk (if using). Add more water if consistency is very thick. Let it cook for ten minutes on medium flame.
5. Add salt, sugar, and lemon juice. Give it a mix and take off heat.
Take care to adjust salt used since the ingredients were also boiled with salt. Taste and then adjust. You could also add a little red chilli powder if you want it spicier.
Transfer to a serving bowl. A side of raw onions works well with this dish. I served it with ghee phulkas and salted buttermilk.
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