Chana Madra | Himachal Dham Special Chana Madra Recipe

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Chana Madra is one of the most popular and delicious recipes from the state of Himachal Pradesh in India. A very simple recipe that is made using white chickpeas or Kabuli Chana that are cooked in a mildly spiced yogurt sauce, it is an inseparable part of the Himachali Dham or the quintessential Himachali Thali. 

Now talking about Dham, it is essentially a satvik vegetarian thali/ meal that comprises of about 8 to 10 dishes cooked without onion and garlic. This thali is an integral part of every Himachali festivity and celebration, be it a wedding, a birthday function, or just a small religious gathering; the locals gather at a place, sit down and enjoy this dham served in pattals or plates made using dried leaves. 

It is said that the history of Himachali Dham can be traced to the reign of King Jaistambh of Chamba, who was so fascinated by the Kashmiri Wazwan cuisine that he ordered his botis (the brahmin cooks) to cook and serve a similar spread but, pure vegetarian and without any meat. That is when this Himachali Dham came into existence and even today, it is enjoyed to the core by every Himachali local. 

Another interesting fact to note is that every region is Himachal has its own variation of Dham; not only the dishes but also, the cooking method and the sequence of dishes served varies. For example, in Kangra you would find this Chana Madra but if you go towards Chamba, the madra is made using Rajma (red kidney beans). Then in terms of sweet, you will mostly find the Meethe Bhaat (which is very similar to Punjabi Meethe Chawal) on the Kangra Dham but, Boondi ka Meetha served in Chamba Dham. So, little variations but essence still remains the same.  


Chana Madra | Himachal Dham Special Chana Madra Recipe


INGREDIENTS

  • Kabuli Chana/ White Chickpeas - 1 cup
  • Whisked curd/ yogurt - 2 cups
  • Besan/ Gram Flour, optional - 1 tbsp
  • Mustard oil - 2 tbsp
  • Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  • Red chili powder - 1 tsp
  • Salt - to taste
  • Hing/ asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
  • Bay leaf - 2
  • Corainder powder - 1 tsp
  • Cumin seeds/ jeera - 1 tsp
  • Laung/ cloves - 3 to 4
  • Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
  • Black pepper corns - 5 to 6
  • Black cardamom - 2
  • Green cardamom - 2
  • Fennel seeds/ saunf - 1/2 tsp
  • Ghee -1 tbsp
  • Crushed dried kasoori methi - 1 tsp
  • Finely chopped ginger - 1 tsp
  • Finely chopped green chilies - 1 tsp
  • Cashews, raisins - 10 to 12
Note - authentically, Besan is not used in Chana Madra preparation. However, I have used to avoid curdling of the yogurt while cooking. You can skip if you wish to.

Chana Madra | Himachal Dham Special Chana Madra Recipe


METHOD

  • Wash and soak the chana in enough water overnight.
  • Once the chana are nicely soaked and swelled, drain the water. Add about three cups of fresh water and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles on medium flame or until the chickpeas are soft.
  • In a bowl, combine curd with besan, all spice powders and give a nice whisk so that curd smoothens completely. Keep aside.
  • In a pan, smoke the mustard oil. Switch off the flame and let it cool down for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add all the whole spices along with hing. 
  • Switch on the flame again and keep it on low. Add in chopped ginger and green chilies. Cook for a minute. Next, add the whisked yogurt mixture.
  • Cook the curd on low flame only stirring continuously till it comes to a boil.
  • Cover and simmer until curd is cooked nicely and oil separates.
  • At this time, add the boiled chana. Do not add chana water at this time. Give a nice mix. Cover and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • If the gravy seems thick, add in the reserved chana water very little, may be about 1/4th cup.
  • Again simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until you see oil separating. Lastly add a tbsp of ghee and crushed kasoori methi and give a nice mix.
  • Lastly fry some cashews and raisins until golden and add to the Chana Madra.
  • Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with steamed rice.

Chana Madra | Himachal Dham Special Chana Madra Recipe



Chana Madra | Himachal Dham Special Chana Madra Recipe


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