Chickpeas and Channa Dal Cooked Together in a Mint Sauce
Paraati Channa
Here is a perfect stewlike dish for large gatherings or a family get-together. This Punjabi specialty is sold int he streets of North India and people stop to buy a plate as Americans might stop for a hot dog. It is served from a large round, high -sided tray known as a paraat--hence it is known asw paraati chana. Decorating the edges are whole green chiles and wedges of limes and onions. The chana dal in the dish melts, providing the larger chickpeas with a lovely, spicy sauce that is best sopped up with indian breads or Middle eastern flatbreads such as pita. If you cannot easliy get the exqisitely flavored Indian yellow split chickpea known as chana dal, use ordinary yellow split peas. 
This is generally eaten as a snack but it could easily be served at a meal with breads, vegetables and a yogurt dish. 
 
1 1/2 Cups dried chickpeas, picked over, washed, and drained. 
3/4 Cups Chana dal or yellow split peas, pick, washed, and drained. 
1 Tbs peeled and finely chopped garlic
1 Tbs finely chopped ginger
3 fresh hot green Chiles, finely chopped
1 Cup Mint, packed, washed and coarsly chopped
1/4 Cup peanut or canola oil
2 medium Onions, finely chopped
1/2 lbs. ripe Tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp ground Coriander
1 1/2 tsp ground Cumin
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
3 Tbs thick Tamarind Paste or fresh lemon juice to taste. 
 
Garam Masala:
1 Tbs Cardamon seeds
1 tsp Whole Cloves
2-inch sticks of Cinnamo
1/3 of a whole nutmeg
a curl of mace
Grind together in a coffe grinder and store. 
 
1. Soak chickpeas overnight in cold water, drain and discard liquid.
2. Bring to 7 cups water and chickpeas to a boil. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Skim off skins .
3. Add to the pot the Chana dal, cover and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours more or until lentils and chickpeas are tender. 
4. Combine garlic, ginger, chiles, and mint leaves with 6 to 8 Tbs of water and blend into a paste. set aside.
5. Heat oil and saute the onions until reddish brown. Add the tomatoes. 
6.   Stir until tomatoes are recuced and darken. The oil should begin to show at the sides fo the pan. 
7. Add the green spice paste and cook over medium heat 5 min. 
8. Add chickpeas and the cooking liquid then stir in the salt, corinader, cumin, garam masala and tamarind paste. 
9. Mix thoroughly, cover and let simmer gently for 1/2 hour. Serve hot. 
 
"World Vegetarian" by Madhur Jaffrey, 1999 ISBN: 0-609-80923-7