This could be your favourite appetiser for life !!

Here’s a spicy, tangy & healthy snack or chakhna. In India, Chakhna is basically a snack; which is served usually with alcoholic drinks. I had this Chana Lasun Fry at a dhaba on the way to Nasik & I loved it. So I tried to recreate it in my kitchen. I saw many versions of the recipe online but it had egg in it, so here is a 100% vegetarian recipe of Dhaba Style Chana Lasun Fry. (I have also skipped the red food colour which is usually added to attain fiery red colour).I am sure this chakhna will be your favourite accompaniment with chilled beer or a glass of wine. Cheers!

Course: Snack / Chakhna Cuisine: Indo-Chinese Fusion Prep Time: 8 hours (includes soaking) Cook Time: 1 hour (includes marination) Servings: 4

Ingredients:

For Marinade

2tsp Red Chilli powder 1 tbsp Maida 1tbsp Cornflour 1 tbsp Rice Flour 1 tbsp Schezwan Sauce 1tbsp Sweet Chilli Sauce 1tbsp Chilli Tomato Sauce 2 tsp Soya Sauce 2 tbsp Oil Salt as per taste

Preparing Chickpeas/Chhole

2 cups of Chickpeas, soaked overnight & boiled

For Fried Garlic

10-12 garlic cloves, unpeeled Oil for frying

Recipe:

Preparing Chickpeas

Take 2 cups of Chickpeas, wash them thoroughly, and soak them overnight in water.Pressure cook soaked Chickpeas for 4 whistles till Chickpeas are completely cooked.Once the pressure is released from the cooker, drain the water in which it was boiled & now allow the chickpeas to cool down till room temperature & drain the water

Marinating Chickpeas

In a mixing bowl, take boiled chickpeas to that add required quantity of red chilli powder, maida, cornflour, rice flour, schezwan sauce, sweet chilli sauce, chilli tomato sauce & soya sauce.To bring this all together add oil. Season it with salt & mix the mixture thoroughly so that chickpeas have a uniform coating on the outside. Marinate the chickpeas for 45 mins.

For Fried Garlic

Heat up oil in a kadhai or a pan; deep fry unpeeled garlic on a medium flame till slightly golden on the outside & mushy on the inside.

For Fried Chickpeas

In the same hot oil, deep fry chickpeas on a medium flame till crisp. Drain excess oil on absorbent paper.Serve crisp chickpeas and top them with fried garlic.

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Tip:

1. Be careful while frying garlic as it may cause oil to splutter.

2. You can make this dish healthier by shallow frying the garlic & marinated chickpeas together on a slow flame for 20 mins. Stir occasionally.

3. Be careful while adding salt because all the sauces have salt content so add as per your taste.

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