Green channa with spinach

 When S brought home frozen green channa from the grocery store mistaking it for green peas, I was stuck with Googling a recipe, having never made (or tasted) green channa before.

I found this delightfully named (I am sure it translates to a evocative description of the dish in Gujarati but to me it sounded like a pet name :)) "Lila chana na shuk" on  Neha's cooking blog. The dish tastes very good and everyone at home gave it two thumbs up.

Here is the adapted recipe.

Ingredients

For masala

• 1/2 bunch spinach (blanch it for 1 min in the same water that will be used to boil the channa)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 green chillis, chopped
• 1 inch ginger
• 1.5 tbsp peanuts
• 1 tbsp whole sesame seeds
• 1/4 c cilantro

To boil

• 2.5 cups frozen green channa
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt

To cook

• 2.5 tbsp peanut or any other vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp ajwain
• 1/2 tsp jeera
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves
• 1" cinnamon
• 2 dry red chillies (no need to break in half, use whole)
• 1/4 tsp hing
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 1 inch piece ginger, chopped fine
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp jeera powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4c chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tsp lime juice

Method

1. Heat 2 cups water in a pot. Add salt and sugar. Drop spinach leaves in it when the water comes to a boil. Fish it out with a slotted spoon after a minute and drop the leaves into cold water (this will maintain the brightness of the spinach).
2. Add the green channa to the water, bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and cook for about 10 minutes till the channa has softened a bit.
3. Grind all the ingredients in the "To grind" section to a fine paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan. Add in all the whole spices (ajwain, jeera, bay leaf, cloves, dry red chillies, cinnamon) and stir it till they are aromatic. Add in the hing and quickly stir.
5. Add in the garlic and ginger and stir till golden.
6. Add in the ground paste and cook uncovered till oil starts separating from the mixture.
7. Add in the spice powders (turmeric, coriander, red chili) and mix well.
8. Add the green channa, cover and cook for 10 mins till the oil starts floating to the top.
9. Add garam masala. and coriander leaves. Adjust salt.
10. Turn off heat and add lemon juice.