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    Home » Blogging Marathon » Manipur -- Kelli Chana (Spicy Chickpea snack)

    Manipur -- Kelli Chana (Spicy Chickpea snack)

    Published: Apr 17, 2014 · Modified: Apr 21, 2021 by Pavani · Leave a Comment

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    Blogging Marathon# 39 - Indian States: Day 17
    State: Manipur
    Dish: Kelli Channa

    We are going to Manipur, one of the seven sister states in the North Eastern India. Manipuri cuisine is simple, organic and healthy. Dishes are typically spicy foods that use chili pepper rather than garam masalas. Most of the dishes do not use oil for cooking.

    The staple diet of Manipur consists of rice, variety of leafy vegetables and fish. Manipuris typically raise vegetables in a kitchen garden and rear fishes in small ponds around their house. They cook dishes based on the seasonal produce and the dishes taste very different from mainland Indian cuisine because of the use of the various aromatic herbs and roots that are unique to the region.

    Today's Dish: I found this simple to make Manipuri Street food, Kelli Chana here and even though it had ingredients native to Manipur, I thought I would give it a try. Thankfully this Manipuri blogger described the ingredients and gave some substitutions to the herbs and spices that she used in the dish. I went ahead and made some of my own changes, but the final dish was quite delicious.

    Manipuri Spicy Chickpea snack

    Kelli Chana is a popular street food in Manipur. It is said that a old lady named Kelli used to sell this addictive snack under a tree and people from all over Manipur started flocking around the tree to buy her chana. She never disclosed the recipe to anyone and apparently took it to her grave. Lot of people have tried to recreate her recipe, but failed to make it taste like the original.

    With all my substitutions, I'm sure this is nowhere close to the original, but I still liked it. I served it as snack with some biscuits/ cookies and tea.

    Manipuri Spicy Chickpea snack

    Recipe adapted from OpenChallenge:

    Manipuri Spicy Chickpea snack

    Kelli Chana (Spicy Chickpea snack)

    Author: Pavani
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    Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 30 minutes mins
    Total Time: 50 minutes mins
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: manipur
    Servings: 4 serving

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups Chickpeas - cooked (or use 1 16 oz. can, rinsed and drained)
    • 1 Onion - medium, chopped
    • 2 Tomatoes - medium, chopped
    • 1 Ginger " - grated
    • 2 cloves Garlic - minced
    • 1 tsp chili powder Red (adjust as per taste)
    • 2 Green onions - chopped
    • 3 tbsps Chives Chinese - chopped
    • 2 tbsps Black sesame seeds - roasted and ground
    • 1 tbsp Cilantro - chopped, for garnish
    • to taste Salt
    Get Recipe Ingredients

    Instructions

    • Heat 2tbsp mustard oil in a pan; add onions and cook until they start turning lightly brown around the edges. Add the ginger and garlic; cook for 1~2 minutes.
    • Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until mushy.
    • Next add the red chili powder and salt. Mix well. Add some water if the mixture looks too dry. Cook for 3~4 minutes.
    • Add the chopped Chinese chives and ground black sesame powder; cook for 2~3 minutes.
    • Finally garnish with chopped green onions or cilantro and Enjoy!!

    Notes

    Manipuri Spicy Chickpea snack
    Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for BM# 39.
    An InLinkz Link-up
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cooks_hideout or tag #cookshideout!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. vaishali sabnani

      April 17, 2014 at 12:49 pm

      I like this version that you have made, sounds great and channa is channa..love it anytime.

      Reply
    2. Usha Rao

      April 17, 2014 at 1:04 pm

      Even I cooked from that blog. She has a some lovely dishes. Interesting read on how the dish got that name. Kelli chana does look delicious. Good to know you liked the taste. Since it is not Kelli's recipe and all the versions are recreated, I think making your own tweaks to the recipe is ok. Does look like perfect snack.

      Reply
    3. Priya Suresh

      April 17, 2014 at 6:50 pm

      Kelli chana looks fabulous, thats seriously an interesting street food, well done and good choice for Manipuri cuisine.

      Reply
    4. Varadas Kitchen

      April 18, 2014 at 2:52 am

      This channa looks so similar to the one we make. Looks yummy!

      Reply
    5. Harini-Jaya Rupanagudi

      April 21, 2014 at 1:09 am

      Looks like I didn't search well. I missed locating this site 🙂 Lovely clicks.

      Reply
    6. Nivedhanams Sowmya

      April 21, 2014 at 11:30 am

      delicious clicks!! and the first pic - wish I grab that bowl!!

      Reply
    7. Jayanthi Padmanabhan

      April 22, 2014 at 12:25 pm

      looks tempting. channa looks perfect to munch on.. sounds easy too. the black sesame powder is interesting

      Reply
    8. Srivalli

      April 23, 2014 at 12:30 pm

      Such a lovely looking chhole!..and that site is very nice..will have to read through it someday!

      Reply
    9. Gayathri's Cook Spot

      April 25, 2014 at 8:50 am

      Looks like a delicious treat....

      Reply
    10. Global Tastes & Travels Inc.

      May 03, 2014 at 7:06 pm

      must have unique but delicious flavor with black sesame

      Reply
    11. Global Tastes & Travels Inc.

      May 03, 2014 at 7:06 pm

      must have unique but delicious flavor with black sesame

      Reply
    12. Nalini's Kitchen

      May 06, 2014 at 3:45 pm

      Such a healthy and delicious looking chickpea snack..

      Reply
    13. Archana Potdar

      May 08, 2014 at 4:42 pm

      Such a delicious chana. I will love this anytime especially when its time to pack a tiffin box. Will be surely packing this once too often.:D

      Reply
    14. Sandhya Ramakrishnan

      May 09, 2014 at 1:20 am

      I used the same blog for my recipe and the dishes were awesome! That channa looks really inviting 🙂

      Reply
    15. Suma Gandlur

      May 11, 2014 at 6:17 pm

      I guess a regional variation to the classic chole dish, sesame being used in place of chole masala. We love chole and so I can guess how yummy this must have been.

      Reply
    16. Manjula Bharath

      May 28, 2014 at 3:42 am

      kelli channa looks very delicious dear , very interesting street food snack from manipur 🙂 they look very inviting !!

      Reply
    17. Sapana Behl

      June 11, 2014 at 9:10 am

      I love chickpeas and this snack looks delicious !

      Reply

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