choliya and friends

[whippy]

to my tastebuds, i find some similarities between fresh (and frozen) green soybeans, fresh green fava beans (which are hyper fashionable within the american market) and fresh green chickpeas.

in anticipation of the coming chickpea harvest (in my whereabouts), i'm curious about how/if you use them? is there a region noted for its use of fresh green chickpeas?

anybody cooking with fresh favas? frozen soybeans? how? and especially, fresh green chickpeas?

they're just so yummy.

yerz,

whippy

[Guest nimki]

Are choliya chickpeas? Aren't chickpeas = white chole? To me choliya are young green bengal gram.

Any which way - it is a wonderful seasonal treat. Recipes I know of -

alu and choliya tari wali sabzi

choliya ki chutney (with garlic, yoghurt and green chillis)

choliya with no cooking required :)

Also, try eating tender choliya leaves with garlic, salt, red chilli powder - it is really good.

[gingerly]

love these!especially straight from the pod.what i haven't had in a years, is a bunch from the field,tossed onto glowing coals long enough to singe the leaves and then picked clean of just warm choliya with a hint of smoke.mmm.

recipes?- just lime juice,salt,cumin and chilli powder( and possiblya little onion) if very fresh and tender.

more usually barely cooked with a little coconut and spices.there is a recipe in the tandoor book by ranjit rai for'hare chane ki seekh' that i've never tried-seems a shame to smoosh up the things .then again if you have loads of the stuff..

had a brief flirtation with fresh/frozen soy beans i find them waxier.not used fresh favas.

[Vikram]

is there a region noted for its use of fresh green chickpeas?

Fresh green chickpeas are occasionally available in Bombay markets in season - the Bazaargate area is a reliable place to find them - but I have some faint memory of hearing that the town of Hubli, in Karnataka, close to the Maharashtra border, is particularly noted for these. I did once pass through Hubli and sure enough they were on sale, but I can't remember if they were particularly special.

Vikram

[rajsuman]

What a coincidence! After years of pining for the stuff, I come across a pack of green chana in my Indian grocer's freezer and this discussion is happening. Perfect timing. I didn't realize it was called choliya, though. Thanks for the wonderful ideas. I recall many a happy childhood days spent munching them raw and then waiting eagerly for them to appear in their cooked form.

Suman

[rajsuman]

Oooh now I'm almost jumping around in excitement! Gingerly, I remember the roasted ones after reading your post - they are so delicious. Wish I could roast my frozen ones.

Suman

[gingerly]

i know it's not quite the same thing Suman,but you just reminded me that around the temples at belur ,we bought packets of roasted masala choliya-still green in colour(natural looking but who knows!) but dry like nuts.very good and apparently a local speciality!

[bague25]

I remember piles of boiled green channa (maybe rehydrated dried ones) at the chat waallas…

It contained raw onions, chopped tomato, lots of lime juice and enough of spices to send to running to the sugarcane juice waalla who had his stall just next door

[rajsuman]

i know it's not quite the same thing Suman,but you just reminded me that around the temples at belur ,we bought packets of roasted masala choliya-still green in colour(natural looking but who knows!) but dry like nuts.very good and apparently a local speciality!

They also make green (?) peas that way, dried and too-green-to-be-true. Very addictive stuff indeed. Crunchy and very,very moreish.

Suman

[Episure]

I remember piles of boiled green channa (maybe rehydrated dried ones) at the chat waallas…

It contained raw onions, chopped tomato, lots of lime juice and enough of spices to send to running to the sugarcane juice waalla who had his stall just next door

Ah yes, available at chowpatty and all over my old neighbourhood -Marine Drive.

And in addition to these ingredients - shredded raw mango.

[bague25]

I remember piles of boiled green channa (maybe rehydrated dried ones) at the chat waallas…

It contained raw onions, chopped tomato, lots of lime juice and enough of spices to send to running to the sugarcane juice waalla who had his stall just next door

Ah yes, available at chowpatty and all over my old neighbourhood -Marine Drive.

And in addition to these ingredients - shredded raw mango.

Episure

Where is the 'I've fainted' emoticon???

[Episure]

Dont you make this at home?

Or is it that some things should never be made at home to preserve their appeal.

Of couse to replicate such street foods you need the Bhaiyya's sweat, arm pit sludge and belly button lint.

[bague25]

Dont you make this at home?

Or is it that some things should never be made at home to preserve their appeal.

Of couse to replicate such street foods you need the Bhaiyya's sweat, arm pit sludge and belly button lint.

Don't forget the Bhaiyya's unmentionable rag on his shoulders

I can NEVER duplicate that taste

[Monica Bhide]

I remember piles of boiled green channa (maybe rehydrated dried ones) at the chat waallas…

It contained raw onions, chopped tomato, lots of lime juice and enough of spices to send to running to the sugarcane juice waalla who had his stall just next door

I have savoured this dish and adore it. Ofcourse the sugarcane juice is something entirely different.. I saw flies being crushed with the sugarcane as the guy turned the wheel on his juicer.. so did not try that on the street!!

[Episure]

You just turned down some good Protein.

[gingerly]

sugarcane juice is something entirely different.. I saw flies being crushed with the sugarcane as the guy turned the wheel on his juicer.. so did not try that on the street!!

you mean the black things weren't seeds...?but they told me..