FRIDAY DINNER'S SUMAC CHICKEN CHANA MASALA

Quarantine brought with the gift of time in abundance leading to the creation of talents of all sorts. Some wise men had said once, how creativity is hidden in everyone, and the crowd laughed it off!! The wise man was wise because maybe he could foresee the future.Alongside exploring all forms of creative talents, and flooding social media with the proof of their efficiency, souls known and unknown and have kept us entertained. But one that has never been spoken about much, is planning rather rationing.

Being a well-fed rice & fish loving Bengali household, it is almost blasphemous to brush aside fish from any meal. Yet in an endeavor to reduce our reasons to step out, I had to cajole the mother to accepting rationing of this sorts. So came chana masala with chapati for dinner one day, and soon there will be rajma or kidney beans and some legumes or daal (not much used in our household), cooked with available ingredients. Let's use this period for all sorts or discovery guys, I strongly feel it brings on a sense of accomplishment. Something tells me, these kind-a tweak's are gonna be good. And if not, we can always go back to the usual. Now before we start, let me tell you about amateurish video of this recipe (steps in making it) is there on the highlights of my Instagram page. Check it out if you wish to, or else here is the detailed recipe & tips for all of you:

Let's start the cooking process!!
1. Soak 1.5 cups chickpeas or chana  overnight in water.
2. Time to make a bouquet garni, difficult to understand?! Let's say a potli. Spread a clean muslin cloth, preferably un-dyed and white. Place the following whole spices: 2 dry red chilies (broken)+ 1 black cardamom+ 1" cinnamon stick + 2 bay leaves+ 1 tbsp tea leaves ( not a spice but that's the secret to that dark amber color guys), and fold on all sides forming a circular pouch in the middle. Tie it up with a tightly with some sturdy thread.
3.. Next morning, strain and put the soaked chickpeas in a pressure cooker along with double quantity + 1 cup extra, water and the potli of whole spices & some salt.  Cook till soft. ( Mine was till 5 whistles).

4. In the meantime chop up 2.5 onions, moderately fine+ 2.5 tomatoes, medium size+  green chilies . Pound 1" ginger & 5-6 garlic cloves in a mortar & pestle or use them out of a packet.
5. Chop up some chicken pieces into smaller pieces, wash and keep aside.
6. In a pan of choice heat in equal parts of ghee & mustard oil. I used 2 tbsp of each an dd in 2 dry red chilies, broken, and turn on the gas. Once it starts to warm up add in 2 bay eaves + 1 tsp whole cumin + the pounded ginger garlic paste.

7. Once the cumin crackles, add in the chopped onions + 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Stir to mix, and cook till they turn golden in color.

8. Add in 1.5 tsp red chili powder +  1.5 tsp coriander powder+ salt and give a good mix, Cook till the raw smell disappears and there are specs of oil visible on the sides of the pan. Add in the chopped tomatoes and stir. Cover and cook on medium low flame till they become mushy arriving at an almost jam-y texture.

9.  Crank up the heat & add in 1 tsp garam masala powder + 1 tsp caraway seeds or shahi jeera & a quarter tsp nutmeg  powder ( grate it in!). Mix well. Then add in the boiled chickpeas & the chicken cubes and vigorously stir to mix well with the spices. Add in 2/3 rd of the reserved boiling liquid. Give a good mix, reduce the flame to medium, lid on. Allow it to cook and wait till oil floats on the surface.

10. Once you see the oil on the surface, add in 1.5 tsp sumac + chopped green chilies and give a good mix. Adjust salt at this stage & add in 1/2 tsp sugar. Mix. Finish with handful of chopped coriander and take it off the hob, only if you plan to have it with rice.

11.  If you plan to serve it with naan or chapati or bhature or any other bread of choice, allow it to boil for a couple of more minutes without lid, for the water to dry up a tad bit more
12. Rice or chapati, serve it with some onion rings, green chilies and wedge of lime, do not forget that!!

If you are a vegetarian, please remove the chicken and you are good to go. Often I have been told, usage of dried amla  or Indian gooseberry is also a good way to get the color in place of tea leaves, feel free to try it if that's easy available for you.  Now that we are close to getting back to normalcy    (or hoping so!), let's keep up the morale and continue to show love through food.

Have you ever had the time to think how food solves so much of our problems, or has the power to do so? Give it a thought and I would we waiting  to hear your views on that.