Ashtami Channa

Ashtami is the 8th Day of a 9 Day period called Navaratri. Celebrated across India these days are dedicated to the worship of the Goddess Durga. Although Navaratri is celebrated five times a year according the lunar calendar, the ones that mark the beginning of spring and the beginning of fall are considered to be the most important ones. On the 8th day, a feast is prepared and prepubescent girls across the country, believed to be the pure and mortal image of the Goddess, are honored with food, toys, new clothes and love. The feast includes Halva (Fine Semolina, Clarified Butter, Sugar and Nuts), Puri (Deep-fried Flatbread) and Channa (this dish). This year's Spring Navaratri is long gone but I felt the urge to make these beans last night. Of course, my version has no butter and is uber-healthy compared to the traditional recipe :)!!

Ashtami Channa

Prep Time: 30 min (with pre-soaked beans)

Ingredients (6 Servings):

1. 1.5 cups Dry Bengal Gram (also called Kala (Black) Channa (Chickpeas)
2. 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
3. 1 tbsp MDH Channa Masala*
4. 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
5. 1 tbsp Onion Powder
6. 3-4 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
7. 2 tbsp A1 Steak Sauce
8. 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
9. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Ashtami Channa

Pre-soak the beans for at least 4-6 hours in tap water. Drain and rinse the pre-soaked beans (discard the soaking water as that can cause gas issues). Pressure cook the beans in 2x the quantity of water, with some added salt for 15 min under high pressure. Release steam. Drain the beans (save the water this time for use in this dish and also later as stock). Transfer the drained beans to a skillet with a splash of the saved stock and add all the above spices. Mix well. Add another splash or two of the stock to ensure that all the spices are mixed well. Cook for a couple of minutes to allow spices to blend and cook and release their aroma. Taste test for salt, adding more as needed. Cover, remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes. 

Bengal Gram (Kala Channa) is a cousin of the Chick pea, or Garbanzo bean. It is very high in protein and has a very low glycemic index. It is also a great source of zinc, phosphorous and folic acid. The dry bean is easily found in Indian grocery stores. Try it, you will fall in love with the taste and unique flavor of this bean.

* Chana Masala is a blend of premixed spices that are ideal for chickpea and bengal gram curries. However, this blend is usually spicy because of the specific mix of spices so use with caution. The MDH brand contains coriander, salt, dry mango, pomegranate seeds, chilli powder, cumin, musk melon, black pepper, black salt, fenugreek leaves, cloves, mint, nutmeg, dry ginger, cinnamon, bay Leaf, cardamom and ammomum (black cardamom) seeds, caraway and mace.

My Assessment: I love this dish. I always have. Although this had some non-traditional ingredients in it, I think I got the taste. The inclusion of nutritional yeast and A1 Steak Sauce (tomato paste, vinegar, corn syrup, salt, raisin paste, crushed orange puree, spices and herbs, dried garlic and onion and caramel color, Its vegan!!) added a creaminess to the dish which isn't always there. The traditional dish is a tad dry and I think inclusion of these 2 ingredients added some extra oompf!! :)   

Nutritional Facts (Per Serving): Calories 98(Fat Calories 8)

Total Fat 0.9 g; Carbohydrates 19.3 g; Fiber 3.3 g; Sugars 0.5 g; Protein 4.7 g

Kala Channa (Bengal Gram) Curry

I've been on a slow cooker frenzy these past couple of days. I made Dal Makhani over the weekend and then decided that I was going to make my old favorite from my younger days in a slow cooker as well ... Kala Channa Curry.

Kala Channa, or Bengal Gram, is a cousin of the Chick pea, or Garbanzo bean. It is a legume, and super high in protein content, and it is one of the oldest cultivated vegetables.  According to Wikipedia,  7,500 year-old remains have been found in the Middle East. I also found out today (thanks to Wiki) that India is the largest producer of Chick peas in the world - close to 6 million tonnes annually. Pakistan and Turkey, follow as not-so-close second and third, with less than a million tonnes each. As compared to the more commonly found light colored chick peas, the darker Bengal Gram are a great source of zinc, phosphorous, folic acid and protein. They are also very high in dietary fiber and hence a healthy source of carbohydrates for persons with insulin resistance or diabetes. They are low in fat, and what is present in the seed is mostly polyunsaturated. In the US, I've never found a can of Bengal gram .. while the lighter colored Garbanzo bean is everywhere. The dry bean is easily found in Indian grocery stores.  

Prep Time: 8-10 hours in a slow cooker

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup Bengal Gram (kala channa)
2. 1 Medium Red onion onion, diced
3. 1 large tomatoes, diced. 
4. 4-5 stalks of celery, diced
5. 2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
6. 1 tbsp Cumin powder 
7. 1 tbsp Coriander powder
8. 1-2 tsp Red Chilli powder
9. 1 tsp Turmeric powder
10. 1 cup Vegetable broth
11. Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: 

Wash and soak the beans overnight in ample amounts of water (3-4 times the amount of beans). Put all ingredients in the crock pot and about an additional cup of cold water and cook on high for pretty much the whole day. I set it in the morning before I left for work and it was ready when I got home. As with the dal recipe, the tomatoes, onions and celery will cook down so don't worry about how they're diced. A coarse chop is all that's needed. For the celery, I even chopped up some of the tender leaves and added them to the crock pot. In the evening, I tested the beans to make sure they're done, and tasted for salt. Garnish with pepper, a sprinkle of Garam masala and fresh diced coriander leaves, and enjoy over rice, or sop up with bread. The final dish should be quite soupy. I had it tonight with leftover Turmeric Spice Rice from the weekend. Yumm!