CHANNA BATETA (CHICKPEAS AND POTATOES IN A TANGY TAMARIND SAUCE)

One of my favourite snacks while growing up in Kampala, Uganda was channa bateta. This dish was very popular in East Africa and many of the Indians from Gujarat often served this flavourful and tangy dish at their homes when entertaining. One just can’t resist seconds and thirds. I remember my elementary school canteen selling this amazing chickpea stew at lunch time and it was always sold out. This was also a very popular dish sold outside by street vendors on a Friday night after prayers. We used to socialize with a bowl of channa bateta served with crumbled up cassava chips and tamarind chutney drizzled all over it. I have captured the recipe to be similar to what my taste buds can remember as a 9 year old. The chickpeas used in my recipe are the garbanzo beans and the original used in Kampala, are the desi chickpeas (smaller and brown skinned). Both are great!

CHANNA BATETA (CHICKPEAS AND POTATOES IN A TANGY TAMARIND SAUCE)

• Serves: 4-6

• Prep Time: 10 minutes

• Cooking Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup oil ( I prefer sunflower)

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

• 10 curry leaves

• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

• 1 green chilli (your preference of heat)

• 6 large potatoes 3/4"cubed

• 2 tsp garlic minced

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 2 tsp sea salt

• 1/8 tsp cayenne (optional-only if you want it spicy)

• 3 tbsp crushed tomatoes

• 1 cup tamarind water

• 3 cups boiling water

• 3 cups cooked chick peas

• 1 tbsp chana flour combined with 1/4 cup water (used as a thickener)

• 1 cup chopped cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium pot, heat oil on medium high and add cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, turmeric, curry leaves and split green chilli. Add potatoes as soon as the seeds pop, and saute about 2 minutes.

Add garlic paste, ground cumin, sea salt, cayenne (optional), crushed tomatoes. tamarind water and keep stirring to combine all the flavours.  Add the boiling water, cover and let boil around 20 minutes till potatoes are almost done. Add chickpeas and boil for another 5 minutes till potatoes are soft and tender.  Mix chana flour and water in a little bowl and add the paste slowly. This will thicken the chana bateta (you can add  1 more cup of  boiling water if the mixture is too thick). Lastly, add the chopped cilantro.

To serve this amazing stew, just ladle into a bowl, add crumbled potato chips, or cassava chips or chewdo (a savoury East African mixture of rice flakes, nuts, fried lentils which is amazingly crunchy) and drizzle tamarind chutney all over. Enjoy!