Chana Tondak / Goan Chana Masala

Anything from legume family is nutritious and good for health. The white peas are commonly known as Vatane in Goa. Any types of legumes can be used to prepare tondak or curry with coconut. for most of these procedure is the same.
The recipe mentioned below is something which is very common in the Goan  Hindu homes and is specially cooked for dinner. I had this since my childhood and prepare one type of tondak every week. This is one of those traditional dishes of Goa. Read the recipe below.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup white peas / chana's
5 tablespoon grated coconut
4 red chillies
1/2 tablespoon coriander seeds
4-5 peppercorns
2-3 cloves
2 onions
1 potato
4-5 garlic flakes
1 marble sized ball of tamarind
1 tsp turmeric powder

Procedure:
Soak chana's for 4-6 hours.
Boil them by adding the chopped potatoes and little salt.
Keep aside.

Cut the onions straight.
In a kadai, add 1 tablespoon oil, and fry onions till they turn brown.
Add garlic and fry.
To this add grated coconut and fry till coconut turns brownish. Make sure to fry on low flame.
Add all the masala ( red chillies, coriander seeds, peppercorns and cloves) and fry for some time.
Once it gets fried switch off gas, mix turmeric powder and stir.
Let this cool for a while.
Grind this along with tamarind ball smooth paste adding water as required.
Now in the same kadai, add the boiled chanas and the gravy.
Add salt per taste.

Serve with chapatis/phulkas or bread.

Sending this recipe to MLLA 34 guest hosted by JayaWagle.

and also to 'CWS-CORIANDER SEED'  hosted by Aruna and Priya.