Wednesday

Winter Vege - Green Garbanzo

Ever since I saw Indira's post on methi chole, I have had these beans on my mind. Then Vaishali followed suit by posting a ladoo recipe and my mildly obssessive nature wouldn't let me delay purchase any longer! So after making a trek to Trader Joe's I had these lovely, green pearls in my hand. And a few memories swirling in my head.

At the local hang out in my city where everyone, well ... hung out on the weekend, was a vendor who sold 'harbhara chaat'. It was impossible to walk past his cart without buying a paper cone filled with the stuff. In fact it was impossible to be in the general vicinity and not be drawn to that mouth watering mix of steamed chana, onions, lemon juice and chaat masala. The softie ice cream and pav bhaji could wait. The chana? It was pure gold!

harbhara2

HARBHARA CHAAT (Spiced Green Garbanzo)
Cook chickpeas in salted water until just tender (frozen peas cook faster).
Add chopped onion, green chilli and slivers of raw mango. Sprinkle chaat masala and roasted cumin powder evenly over the mixture.
Add a dash of lemon juice, garnish with finely chopped cilantro and serve. You can either spruce this up with sev or make a lo cal lunch by adding mung bean sprouts.

After that trip down memory lane I turned to my trusted cookbook for a recipe. Kalra writes, "every winter the Punjabi housewife spends half the morning shelling fresh gram to make one of her vast repertoire of cholia dishes - with potatoes, eggs or most popularly with paneer".
Combining chana with paneer sounded intriguing enough so I gave it a shot.

cholia

HARA CHOLIA TE PANEER (Green Garbanzo with Paneer)
(adapted from 'Prashad: Cooking with Indian Masters' by Jiggs Kalra)
(serves 2)
2/3 cup green garbanzo
1/4 cup paneer cubes
1/2 cup scallions, finely chopped (white part only, or use shallots)
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
3-4 green chillies, deseeded and slit
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/3 cup tomato puree*
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
ghee
finely chopped cilantro for garnish

Heat ghee in a kadai or sauce pan. Add chopped onions and saute till light brown. Next add ginger garlic paste and saute till well mixed. Add chillies, red chilli powder and stir for 1-2 minutes.

Add tomato puree and saute until ghee collects at the sides of the pan. Toss in the chickpeas, stir then add 1/4 cup of water. Cook on medium heat until peas are tender. Season to taste.

Add paneer; sprinkle cumin powder and garam masala. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and serve hot.
* I used this tomato gravy; remember to adjust spices accordingly

Tags: punjabi cuisine

43 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

This looks really good Nandita! I'll definitely give it a try and let you know.

5:08 PM  
Blogger Inji Pennu said...

Oh the paper cones and the eatables in those :( :(

Now I need to buy this green pearl! Never cooked with this.

5:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Ashwini,

I remember reading once about peddlers who sold hot spiced chickpeas in paper cones, in Jewish neighborhoods in the lower east side of New York City. This would have been back around the turn of the century. I'm sure they were not green, and were spiced differently, but isn't it strange and wonderful -- the similarities among various cultures. Green chickpeas with paneer sounds great! I would love to find a copy of that book you mentioned :)

6:42 PM  
Blogger Ashwini said...

Meena - you mean Ashwini don't you?

Inji - I know...those cones always hold really addictive stuff dont they? Roasted chana, peanuts, bhel....mmmm

Linda - that's so interesting...I agree, the deeper we delve into cultures, the more similarities we see. The cookbook is 'Prashad - cooking by Indian Masters' by Jiggs Kalra. Its available on amazon. I have recommended this one before, excellent recipes from around the regions of India. Partial to non vegetarian I must add.

6:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh. I just brought this yesterday at Trader Joe's. I added it to couscous, and some to a chole curry. I love that green color.

8:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Both are looking really good. Though I see chholia all around me here in Delhi/ Punjabi heartland, I've never cooked with it. I want to try the paneer dish first!

Chholia is also enjoyed roasted on the fire (bonfire) - the whole bush is held over the fire, the roasted blackened pods are then shelled and enjoyed with some good gossip! That I've had - the chholiya and the gossip!

11:39 PM  
Blogger Anjali Koli said...

Ashwini hurda looks amazing in the cones and bhaaji is an usual one too.

11:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Ashwini
I am one of your blog regular visitor. I'm an Indonesian who now live in India (Cochin). I enjoy your recipes as well as your photographs. They look lovely.

Just want to say Hi...

7:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I feel like grabbing that paper cone and walking on the beach eating them!!!!!

I dont get these green garbanzo's here in Singapore :(

The idea of adding paneer to it was quite innovatiive!! :)

7:20 AM  
Blogger Pavani said...

Looks absolutely delicious. I too have a bag of frozen hara chena and will definitely try one of ur recipes. Thanks for sharing.

7:25 AM  
Blogger FH said...

Blogger problems again!

I love this Cholia.I have dry beans.I love the color and the taste too.I love the way you presented like Churmuri!:))

8:44 AM  
Blogger Sumitha said...

Mentioning Jiggs Kalra send me down memory lane....he is the first ever celebrity chef i saw on TV long time back in Doordarshan:)
Those paper cones reminds me of a pushcart in front of my college wherein we used to get bhelpuri in a newspaper cone and i was pretty sure that eating bhel puri in it actually increased its flavour.:)I hope it wasnt the carbon in the newspaper that did that;)

10:52 AM  
Blogger Meena Kandlakuti said...

Very nice recipe.i will try this when i purchase those gold pieces:-))

11:06 AM  
Blogger Ashwini said...

Gini - with couscous? I hope you are going to share that one on your blog. Love the idea.

Anita - Roasted cholia sounds delicious. In Maharashtra young jowar kernels (hurda) are roasted similarly. And yes the gossip is a compulsory side dish ;-)

Anjali - thanks

Lisa - glad you dropped by. And thanks for your kind words

Coffee - paper cones and beach are such good partners arent they?!

Pavani, Asha, Meena - thanks

Sumitha - you are right! Kalra hosted Daawat on DD way before Sanjeev Kapoor and the others. Trust DD to not even try to make the show interesting...I remember being really bored when my mom watched it :-) But his recipes were always superior.

11:15 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm so excited - I saw these at the grocery last week - and almost bought them but didn't know quite what to do with them and didn't feel like trolling all the blogs. Now I know...yum...

11:37 AM  
Blogger Manjula said...

Raw mango with spices...mouth watering ..Green chickpeas never tastes that so far..I always see them in the freezer section..now that so many recipes have been posted on that I got to try that soon.

12:36 PM  
Blogger swapna susarla said...

wow ashwini
this looks mouthwatering..thanks for sharing

2:52 PM  
Blogger Seema Bhat said...

Oh boy Ashwini,
Loved the paper cone presentation. Cool breeze and somthing chatpata like this that too in a paper cone would be a perfect evening for me. Beautiful pictures as always.
-
Seema

4:43 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Never used Green Garbanzo .....will sure give a try!!!thnx for sharing!!!

7:27 PM  
Blogger Lakshmik said...

Hi Ashwini

Yummy chaat in paper cones. Reminds me of India. BTW, where did you get the fresh garbanzo beans. I bought frozen ones from the Indian store and they were not too good.

8:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh.. now you have me yearning for harabhara chaat. Thats it, Trader Joes , Here I come!!!

9:56 AM  
Blogger Ashwini said...

Diane - well now you can buy them

Manjula - The garbanzo doesnt taste like the fresh one back home but its still tasty.

Swapna, Seema, Haripriya - thanks

Lakshmi - I got a pack at Trader Joe's

Vee - go for it :-)

10:26 AM  
Blogger TNL said...

Chaat looks so good...and that papercone,ahh...takes me back to the Lari stalls.
Panner and Harachana is a new combo....

Trupti

11:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Love the chaat, Ashwini! I have lovely memories of churmuri and other dry chaat eaten in cones made from newspaper/magazine pages by roadside vendors in India!

6:23 PM  
Blogger Menu Today said...

Hi Ashwini,
I prepared pulav using green chole and paneer, curry looks nice,
Double treat!!!!! Thanks for sharing.

3:00 AM  
Blogger Catherine said...

those look lovely! I've never seen green garbanzos. I'll have to start a search.

8:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Ashwini!!!

Have just stumbled on to your blog, and loved it! Being a foodie myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the way you have posted every recipe, and neat pics too!

Have just started my own food blog with recipes that are relatively unknown...specialties from mom, aunts,friends etc. Do check it out and feel free to link me to your blog. Would like to add you to mine if that's ok?

Cheers!

1:11 PM  
Blogger Krithika said...

What a wonderful recipe. Chholia reminds of Delhi winter ...

2:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

your pictures are always gorgeous. so are your recipes.

1:42 PM  
Blogger Ashwini said...

Trupti, Vani, MT, Krithika - thanks

Catherine - look in the frozen section at Trader Joe's

Anon - thanks for your lovely words. You havent left a link to your blog so I can't visit you. Do let me know your blog's url. Glad you dropped by.

Bee - thanks! You are a new blogger too? Will drop by soon.

8:47 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ashwini,
Great stuff here. Keep 'em coming.

Thanks for visiting our blog. We have since fixed the links. You can find a list of food blogs (including yours) through the links on the right.

1:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love Indian delicacies...your recipies are just lipsmacking!! Would love to come back for more everyday!! Meanwhile, if you wanna send someone a floral wish do peep into my wish with flowers blog!! Cheers!!

6:37 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The addition of paneer is really neat!! We used to get a similar tasty treat with green peas (dried) chaat at the beach in Madras.Thanks for sharing!

4:23 PM  
Blogger Nidhi said...

Beautiful and creative as usual :D Thats one of my favourite snacks.
Nidhi.

12:00 PM  
Blogger Ashwini said...

Bee, Jessica, Midhi - thanks

Nalini - yes, I have eaten the sundal in Marina beach and loved it too.

1:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey,
I stumbled upon this recipe while searching for something. Thanks for not only posting the recipe but also mentioning where to find green garbanzo. This chaat is so very healthy (unlike the other chaat recipes). It turned out just delicious. Thanks again.

2:37 PM  
Blogger Ashwini said...

Hi Anon glad you liked the recipe...its indeed a healthy chaat.

3:06 PM  
Blogger Lady Mcbeth said...

Hi Ashwini:

The chick-pea paneer recipe was too good for words. My husband who doesn't particularly fancy chick peas, actually gave me a nod of approval on the green chick peas/paneer. Great recipe! Will definitely note it down ...

12:41 PM  
Blogger Ashwini said...

Lady Mcbeth - I am so glad you liked the recipe! Its quite a different taste isnt it?

8:59 AM  
Blogger AKR said...

What is the difference between green garbanzo beans and beige ones? Can you make this recipe using either kind? I am a big chickpea fan. I make a great monthar (chickpea flour mithai) which I will blog in the next few months.

AKR
http://treataweek.blogspot.com/

11:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just tried Green Garbanzo with Paneer's recipe with rice and it was really different thanks.

3:10 PM  
Blogger Ashwini said...

AKR - beige chickpeas are the dried ones (kabuli chana) whereas green are the fresh ones (which we get in frozen form here in U.S.) Hope this helps?

Anon - glad you liked the dish

9:39 PM  
Blogger PreeOccupied said...

Ashwini, this is one chana I thought I could not live without. I grew up in Bihar, where we got these inside their little pods, a winter time staple. My Mum makes amazing ghugni with them which we have with puri.

I love them with just about anything, even some fresh ones as a salad.

I have no idea where I can find these here in Toronto.

Do you have any suggestions? I doubt the supermarkets have them. Maybe an Indian store?

That chana and paneer made me so hungry. We do with cubed potatoes. But paneer makes it exotic.

4:11 PM  

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