Food talk
Check out this chana
The taste, texture
and ease of cooking make keema chholey a perfect one-dish meal,
says Pushpesh
Pant
Alu-chhole is the
plebeian staple that sustains the working classes. Paired with kulcha
or bhatura, it makes for an affordable, substantial meal.
Countless rehri-khumchawalas across the land do thriving business
dishing out these combos. We have also splurged on paneerwale chholey
with rice and have vivid memories of Pakistani propaganda during the
1965 War when alu-chhole eating Hindu-India was reviled as a weakling
nation.
You may find it
difficult to believe but back home in the hills in the 1950s, chhole
were an exotic delicacy introduced by the refugee Punjabis displaced
by the Partition. Housewives exchanged notes on how to cook these well
in pre-pressure cooker days at high altitude and to colour them just
like them (the trick we were told was to use a pinch of soda bi-carb
and hang a potli of tea leaves in the pot). Since then, chhole have
endeared themselves to millions dwelling in the heartland and are
routinely served with samosa and tikki in chaat shops. We, it should
be clear by now, are in love with the stuff. Be it pindi chana
of the al dente dry variety or the easily mashed in gravy kind. We
have long yearned for a recipe that makes it a little more nourishing
and lot more interesting. This is why we were really excited when a
friend asked us to taste the keema chhole cooked by him. The gentleman
was not abashed about admitting that his motivation was to ‘stretch’
the expensive mincemeat. In these days of spiralling inflation we
found this an admirable solution to a culinary problem. The taste,
texture the ease of cooking leave nothing to be desired and we
recommend the recipe strongly to our readers. Those who avoid red eats
for health reasons can indulge without fear — a little goes a long,
long way.
chef’s corner
Ingredients
Mince (without fat) 250 gm
Kabuli chana one cup
Potato (large, boiled and cut into eight pieces) one
Bay leaf one
Cinnamon one inch piece
Cloves three
Black peppercorns one tsp
Brown cardamom one
Green chillies (deseeded and slit lengthwise) two
Onion (medium, cut into rings) one
Tomato (medium-sized, sliced) one
Oil ¼ cup
Salt to taste
Method
Boil or pressure-cook the
chana. Drain and keep aside. Put oil in a pan. When it reaches smoking
point reduce heat and put the bay leaf and other whole spices in it.
When these change colour add the mince and brown on medium heat
stirring continuously. Add salt and when the mince is evenly browned
and the raw smell is gone, add the chana and boiled potatoes. Mix
well, garnish with chillies, tomatoes and onion rings. You may if you
prefer a spicier dish spike the alu-chhole-keema with sprinklers of
choice. Garam masala is not the only option. A little dried mint
crushed or a large pinch of mixed herbs transforms it beyond
recognition. We keep experimenting: barbeque sauce tastes great. A few
drops of Tabasco don’t hurt it either. You can enjoy large spoonfuls
of mixed chhole-keema or relish them separately. Potatoes provide body
and balance and lazy souls can even dispense with roti or rice. Add a
handful of steamed or boiled greens and you have a perfect one-dish
meal.
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