Jaisalmer, known as the Golden City of Rajasthan, is on the list of must-visit places for travel enthusiasts. This historic city in Rajasthan attracts people from all over the world with its beauty, crafted from golden sand and yellow sandstone. Furthermore, the local cuisine of Jaisalmer is so delicious that it inspires the desire to try something new.
The yogurt-based chickpea and potato curry is especially recommended for lunch. Its flavor is multiplied when served with rice or flatbreads, and preparation does not require much time or effort. Although you have probably tried spicy versions of this dish, Jaisalmer prepares an excellent chickpea and potato curry using yogurt instead of garlic and onion, and after the first taste, you will want to cook it again.
Jaisalmeri Allu Chana Recipe:
Below is the method for preparing Jaisalmer-style chickpea and potato curry.
Ingredients for Jaisalmeri Chana-Allu
To prepare, you must first boil the chickpeas and potatoes. The soaked black chickpeas should be boiled in a multicooker with water and a small amount of salt until four or five whistles are heard. The potatoes are also boiled separately, peeled, and cut into cubes.
Next, you need to prepare the yogurt mixture. In a bowl, mix whisked yogurt with gram flour (besan), turmeric, red pepper powder, and coriander powder. The flour must be thoroughly mixed into the yogurt so that no lumps remain.
After that, prepare the aromatic tempering. Heat ghee or oil in a pan, and fry cumin seeds, sesame seeds, and asafoetida in it. Then add grated ginger and green chili, which are fried for a few seconds. Then reduce the heat to minimum, and gradually pour the yogurt-flour mixture into the pan while stirring constantly.
Next, bring the sauce to a boil. Increase the heat to medium, and stir the mixture constantly until it boils, which prevents the yogurt from curdling. After the sauce boils, add the boiled black chickpeas and chopped potatoes, as well as salt. Cover the dish and simmer over medium heat for 5–7 minutes so that the spices fully penetrate the chickpeas and potatoes.
The final step is adding dried mint. When the dish is well cooked and a light layer of oil begins to appear on the surface, turn off the heat. Finally, sprinkle the dish with crushed dried mint and finely chopped fresh herbs for garnish.