Chana Madra
chickpeas simmered slowly in whisked yogurt until the gravy is silky, faintly sour and heavy with whole spice
Start the day before. The soaking alone is 8 hr, against 65 min of actual work.
Allergens in Chana Madra: milk, tree nuts.
Ingredients
Quantities for 6.
- 250g, soaked overnight Chickpeas
- 500g full-fat, whisked completely smooth Yogurtsour, day-old curd is better than fresh
- 5 tbsp Gheemadra is a generous dish; do not cut this below 4 tbsp
- 1 tbsp Besanstabilises the yogurt so it will not splitoptional
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 piece, 3cm Cinnamon
- 2, cracked Black Cardamom
- 5 green, cracked Cardamom
- 5 Cloves
- 2 Bay Leaf
- 1/4 tsp Asafoetidause compounded-free hing to keep this gluten-free
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Fennel Powder
- 1 tsp Dry Ginger Powdersonth carries the warmth that ginger root would in a plains curry
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Kashmiri Chillicolour without heat
- 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
- 12, blanched and halved Almondsoptional
- 2 tbsp Raisinsthe Chamba touch, a sweet note against the sour curdoptional
- to taste Salt
- 500ml Water
Cookware
stovetop, kadhai, pressure cooker
Checked against the ingredient list for ten allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, soy and gluten. Brands vary, so read the label on anything new to you.
Before you start
- Soak the chickpeas overnight in plenty of water. They should more than double.
- Take the yogurt out of the fridge an hour ahead. Cold yogurt splits the moment it meets hot ghee.
- Whisk the yogurt with the besan and a pinch of salt until there is not a single lump, then keep the whisk in the bowl - you will use it again.
Method
- Pressure cook the drained chickpeas with 500ml water and 1 tsp salt for 4 whistles, then let the pressure drop by itself. They should crush easily between finger and thumb but still hold their shape.Undercooked chana will never soften later - the acid in the yogurt sets them hard.
- Heat the ghee in a heavy kadhai until it thins and shimmers. Add the cumin, cinnamon, black cardamom, green cardamom, cloves and bay leaves and let them swell and crackle, about 40 seconds.
- Add the asafoetida, count to five, then take the pan off the heat entirely and let it cool for a full minute.This off-heat pause is the whole trick of madra. Yogurt going into ripping-hot ghee will curdle every time.
- Pour in the whisked yogurt, return to the lowest possible flame and stir continuously in one direction for 8 to 10 minutes, until the yogurt loses its raw smell and thickens to the consistency of pouring cream.Do not stop stirring and do not cover the pan until the yogurt has come to a boil once.
- Stir in the coriander powder, fennel powder, dry ginger, turmeric and kashmiri chilli. Cook 3 minutes more - the gravy will turn glossy and the ghee will start to bead at the edges.
- Add the drained chickpeas along with 150ml of their cooking water. Season with salt.
- Simmer uncovered on low for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the gravy coats the back of a spoon and a clear rim of ghee sits around the edge of the pan.That ring of separated ghee is how Chamba cooks judge madra is done.
- Fold in the almonds and raisins and cook 3 minutes so the raisins plump.
- Finish with the garam masala, cover and rest off the heat for 10 minutes before serving with plain rice.
Storage
Keeps 3 days refrigerated and genuinely improves on day two. Reheat very gently on low with a splash of water - a hard boil will break the yogurt.
Nutrition Medium estimate
One serving of Chana Madra (232 g) is about 352 calories, or 152 calories per 100 g.
Medium protein: 13 g a serving, 15% of the calories
| Per serving232 g | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 352 kcal | 152 kcal |
| Protein | 13.2 g | 6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 38.0 g | 16 g |
| of which sugars | 12.1 g | 5 g |
| Fibre | 6.8 g | 3 g |
| Fat | 17.7 g | 8 g |
| of which saturated | 8.8 g | 4 g |
| of which unsaturated | 7.6 g | 3 g |
Ingredients given to taste count as zero, so the real figures run a little higher. Nearest database match used for asafoetida, garam masala. Estimated from raw ingredients using USDA FoodData Central.
More like this: Vegetarian Indian recipes · Gluten-free Indian recipes · No onion no garlic recipes · Pahari recipes
Times, yields, allergens and nutrition are guidance. Use your own judgement on doneness and on storing. More in About.