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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