Fried Channa (A TALE OF TWO CHANNAS)

Fried Channa (garbanzo bean or chickpeas) are a popular treat here in Trinidad and Tobago. It's a frequent go to snack for all occasions.  You can see fried channa being served for Christmas alongside roasted, fried or honey roasted peanuts in a serving tray for the guests or, in my case, Paranderos during a House Parang.

Fried Channa For All Occasions

Also, fried channa can be seen partying alongside other finger foods for a lime by the beach, a birthday party or just a family lime with friends at home. Or, just by itself while watching a good action movie. Yeah! The adrenaline rush; the blasting of the T.V. speakers to the Ra-Ta-Tat! of Machine Guns firing behind your favourite action hero (somehow they never get hit lol!!) ; you're on the edge of your seat eager to see what happens next. A few handfuls of spicy fried channa is all you need in all the excitement. I may even term it real "action movie food."

Anyhow I always digress ....

Today I have a tale of two channas or two fried channas to be more exact. My fried channa escapade happened when I had no popcorn to pop one day. Usually, popcorn is the fastest snack to prepare when we're watching movies at home. But, that day popcorn "left the building" lol 🙂 So, what else do I have Aha! Channa to the rescue, but I will have to soak it first. One day's wait was OK. I would eventually have something to snack on the day after.

Along the way though, with some research I found out that there were two methods to making fried channa. The first was the split channa: this was a little more work oriented than the second method but was just as satisfying. You will learn a simple way to remove the skins from the channa as we get into the recipe. The second is the more popular option that is bottled and sold in the supermarkets, salted or unsalted; spicy or not. This method doesn't require you to remove the skin from the channa so it's much faster.  So let's get into the recipes shall we?

Split Fried Channa Recipe

SPLIT FRIED CHANNA

1 lb. dried chick peas
2 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Chadon Beni, minced
hot pepper to taste, chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ Tbsp. salt or to taste
Coconut oil, for frying

Soak channa overnight making sure the water covers the peas. Rinse and drain.

Boil in water with baking soda added until it froths. Drain under cold water.

Roll between a towel or cloth to remove skins easily.

Note: This is where the work starts. You'll have to remove the skins of the whole batch.

Add channa to deep pot.

Cover with oil.

Fry over a low flame until golden brown...

.....and drain on paper towels.

Add garlic, hot pepper, chadon beni and salt in a bowl.

Add fried channa and mix thoroughly. Serve cool. Enjoy!

 Now for the other recipe
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Fried Channa Recipe

 FRIED CHANNA

1 lb. dried channa (chick peas, garbanzo bean)
2 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Chadon Beni, minced
hot pepper to taste, chopped (optional)
½ Tbsp. salt or to taste
Coconut oil, for frying

Soak channa overnight making sure the water covers the chickpeas. Rinse and drain.

Add channa to a deep pot, cover with oil and fry over a low fire until golden brown.

Note: A low fire gives you more control over the frying so you will not burn the channa. If you think you can do it over a medium fire then by all means do so.

Drain on paper towels.

Add garlic, hot pepper, chadon beni and salt in a bowl.
Add fried channa and mix thoroughly. Serve cool.

Well that's it for another lovely spicy post. More recipes to come as usual.

Ah gone!