Ashtami Special Chana Puri Halwa | Traditional Recipe for Ashtami Bhog

Ingredients

• 2-3 tbsp Ghee
• Water as required
• 2 cup Brown Chickpeas (soak overnight), soaked black chickpeas
• 2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp Degi Red Chilli powder
• 2 heaped tbsp Coriander powder
• ½ tbsp Dry Mango powder, amchur (dry mango powder) powder
• A pinch of Garam masala
• ½ tsp Cumin powder
• ¾ cup Water
• ¼ cup Ghee
• 1 ½ cup Semolina, Semolina
• 1-2 tbsp Ghee
• 12-15 no. Raisins
• 1 tbsp Chironji
• 12-15 no. Cashew Nuts
• 2 ½ cup Hot Water
• 1 ½ cup Sugar
• ½ tsp Cardamom powder
• 2 cup Whole Wheat flour
• ¼ tsp Sugar
• Sendha Namak to taste, rock salt
• 1 tbsp Semolina, Semolina
• Water as required
• 1 tsp Oil
• 2-3 heaped tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 no. Green Chilli (cut diagonally)
• 2 no. Green Chillies (less spicy & cut diagonally)
• Prepared Masala Mixture, prepared spice mix
• Cooked Chana
• 1 tbsp Tender Coriander Stems (finely chopped)
• Oil for frying
• ¼ tsp Ghee (for rolling pooris), Ghee
• Coriander sprig, coriander leaves
• Almonds (slivered)

Steps

1. In a pressure cooker, add ghee. Once it’s hot, add water as required, soak brown chickpeas. Give it a good mix.
2. Cook for 3-4 whistles or until the chickpeas are cooked.
3. Keep it aside and let the pressure release naturally.
4. In a bowl, add turmeric powder, degi red chilli powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder, garam masala, cumin powder and water. Give it a good mix.
5. Keep it aside for further use.
6. In a kadhai or handi, add ghee. Once it’s hot, add semolina, ghee and cook for 4-5 minutes on medium flame or until the semolina becomes light and puffy and turns light brown in colour.
7. Add raisins, chironji and cashew nuts. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
8. Add hot water and sugar.Let it cook until the semolina is cooked through.
9. Finish it with cardamom powder and give it a good mix.
10. Transfer it into the serving dish and garnish it with slivered almonds.
11. Serve hot with prepared chana sabji and pooris.
12. In a parat or bowl, add whole wheat flour, sugar, sendha namak to taste, semolina, and water as required. Knead it into semisoft dough.
13. Add oil and knead again for a minute.
14. Transfer it into the bowl, cover it with the damp cloth and let it rest for 10-12 minutes.
15. Divide the dough into small lemon-sized balls. Apply ghee and flatten each ball with a rolling pin to form pooris.
16. Transfer the pooris into the hot oil, fry them until crispy texture and light golden brown in colour.
17. Transfer it into the absorbent sheet and keep it aside for further use.
18. In a handi, add oil. Once it’s hot, add cumin seeds, green chillies and prepared masala mixture. Cook until oil separates from the masala.
19. Add cooked chana, tender coriander stems. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until well cooked.
20. Transfer it to a serving dish and garnish with a coriander sprig.
21. Serve hot with prepared pooris and halwa.