It was in Jaisalmer that I had tasted this dish first ... served in the dinner thali at our place of stay. And loved this simple yet flavourful dish . I always associate this dish with an awesome experience I had in Jaisalmer. When reaching our room after dinner, I noticed that it was very dark outside. Standing near the window I could however see that the terrace beneath ours was huge and positively glowing. It was a bleached & very whitish glow. I looked around and found an almost round moon ... so decided that it was the moonlight after all. But moonlight on a terrace/balcony won't make it glow. Went to sleep with a perplexed mind.
The next morning as soon as I was up I went to the window. And what do I see? There was no balcony! Even though we were on the 3rd floor. Instead ... it was the courtyard at the back of the hotel. And the ground was of golden sand. It was this sand that was glowing in the moonlight!!
It was a surreal feel ... remembering that surreal glow of the previous night! :-)
This prompted us to leave the cultural program halfway the next night ... and take a walk in the moonlit and glowing sand dunes. :-)
That walk in the silent desert dunes with the moon shining so very brightly ... and that unbelievable quiet of the desert .... was an experience by itself. :-)
Coming to the recipe .... this does not need too many ingredients .... just what I like about any dish. The only preparation needed is to soak and boil the chana before you can make this.
Need : Kala chana, soaked overnight and pressure cooked with a little salt, jeera/cumin, curd/plain yougurt, a little besan/ gram flour, red chilli powder, a pinch of hing, haldi/turmeric powder, a little cooking oil, water, salt to taste.
How to : Beat the curd, besan, red chilli powder, salt together. Add water to make it of slightly thin consistency.
Slightly mash the chana .... just to break them .... so that they can soak up the flavours.
Heat a little oil in a kadhai. Add jeera and then hing. Now add the chana and toss a little.
Now add the curd mixture and let it cook well ... to a thicker consistency.
Serve hot with rotis / parathas.
I served with parathas made from leftover dal.
