Chana batata

This recipe comes to my blog on demand by my darling friend Jennifer Damani.I hope you will love it hun!!!

INGREDIENTS:
500gm channa/black chickpeas (soaked overnight, then boiled with very little salt until soft (too much salt will make them remain hard)...can take up to half an hour in a pressure cooker...make sure they are VERY soft, drain and retain half a cup of the water, discard the rest unless you like the taste then by all means use more of the drained water in your channa)
TIP: You can add a pinch or two of baking soda when boiling these to soften them faster if you want!
4-5 boiled potatoes, cubed
3 tbspn. tomato paste
5 tbspn. oil
5-6 curry leaves
1 tspn mustard seed
1 tspn garlic
2-3 tbspn grated green/raw mango OR lemon juice
2 tbspn tamarind pulp
salt to taste
2-4 chopped green chilies
1 tspn chili powder
1 tspn turmeric
1 tspn cumin powder
1 tbspn besan flour mixed in some water to thicken the sauce

METHOD
Step1-Heat the oil, add the mustard seeds and let them crackle, then add the lcurry leaves followed by the green chilies. Lower heat and add the garlic, stir for a while then add the grated mango and tomato paste. Cook this for a few minutes.
Step2-then add the boiled cubed potatoes and the chili powder, turmeric and cumin powder. Let this cook for a bit stirring all the time, you can add a bit of water if it starts getting stuck.
Step3-Then add the channa.Stir together and cook for a few more minutes until the flavorful masala covers everything,
Step4-then add the retained half cup of channa water and enough water to almost completely cover the channa in the pan.
Step5-Add salt and cook for a few minutes until it comes to a soft boil.
Step6-Then stir in your flour mixture if followed by the tamarind pulp, bring to a boil until the water thickens slightly. Step7- if you like you can squeeze a little lemon, though sometimes the mango is enough.
TIP: Another way to thicken the sauce without using the flour is by gently smashing some of the potatoes and channa by pressing them with the flat side of a spoon and then stirring them back in. The starch released from the potatoes will help thicken the sauce.
Step8-Turn off stove and serve hot..
Garnish it wit some freshly chopped onion and corriender