Recipe
For the Channa (chickpea, Gorbanzo)
13 oz. can of chickpea
1 large onion, sliced
2 teaspoon fresh crushed garlic
1/2 of a habanero pepper (no seeds)
4 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon green seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground geera (or cumin powder)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups of water
For the Dough (bara)
4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon instant quick rise yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups of hot water
1 tablespoon of oil for the dough
4 cups of cooking oil for frying
Directions for the Dough
In a big mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, yeast salt and turmeric. Mix all the dry ingredients together. Add 1 cup of hot water at a time. Using your hands knead everything together. The dough should be sticky, and sort of rubbery when you pull it. The dough will gradually turn yellow because of the turmeric.
When you are finish kneading the dough pour 1 tablespoon of oil into the palm of your hand and rub it all over the top of the dough. This is to prevent sticking and will prevent a hard crust from forming on the top when it is rising.
Set it aside to rise for 30 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
Once the dough has risen, to a pot on the stove add the 4 cups of oil to heat to 350 degrees.
While the oil is heating, rub some oil in the palm of your hands and start breaking small pieces of the dough apart. make small round balls. You are going to stretch the dough using your fingers. The stretched dough should be thin, but not make holes in it.
Once the oil is hot start frying the dough. It is going to fry really fast like 30 seconds. So be sure you have all your dough rolled out so you can fry it altogether. Keep the dough warm.
Directions for the Channa
Open and rinse the gorbanzo beans under cold running water, drain.
Add the curry powder to a small bowl, add about 4 tablespoons of water to the curry and mix to make a slurry. If it is too dry add more water to form the slurry texture. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil on the stove, on medium heat in a big pot. Once the oil is hot, add onion, garlic and pepper. Let this fry for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
Add in the curry slurry to the pot. Let the curry fry in the oil for 1 minute. Then add in the gorbanzo beans. Mix well so that all of the beans are covered with the curry. Let this fry for 3-5 minutes. We want the curry to stick to the gorbanzo beans.
Once you see the beans starting to stick to the pot add in the 2 1/2 cups of water. If the water does not cover the beans add more to just cover it. Add in the geera,green seasoning and salt. Mix. Once this starts to bubble, cover and let it cook for 15 minutes.
After most of the water has reduced, using the back of your spoon smash some of the beans. We don’t want all the beans smashed, just a little to thicken the gravy.
Remove from the heat.
To build your doubles, place one of the bara’s to a plate, then add some the of channa to it, add your chutneys/condiments and then place another bara on top.
Now take a bite!.
