This Classic Sana Biran recipe is a firm favourite amongst Bangladeshis. The way this dish is cooked, being quite dry, means it is typically served during Ramadan alongside kisuri/kitchdi, which is a thick porridge like soup made from rice. There are two varieties of chickpeas that are usually cooked in this way; one being referred to as black chickpeas, known as ‘kala sana’ in Bengali, which I’m not very fond of but I do occasionally enjoy when someone else cooks it for me; the other is the canned variety which is lighter in colour and referred to as white chickpeas or ‘dola sana’ in Bengali.

This is something I love preparing for iftar – the time just after sunset when Muslims break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan. This is a really wholesome and filling dish, alone it’s good enough to eat as a main meal with pitta bread/naan and some salad….don’t forget those eggs, you all know I love eggs so for me this HAS to be served with some! Bengali people also serve this to guests when entertaining as an appetiser before a meal or as an afternoon snack.

This is a very basic recipe and I do chop and change it when I feel like it. Adding ginger and garlic definitely improves the taste of Sana Biran but if you don’t have these to hand cook without. I vary the spices I add to this dish, on this occasion I added just turmeric powder and mixed curry powder, other times I add cumin powder, coriander powder and chilli powder. Play around with the spices you like and see what you prefer, there is no hard and fast rule. To make this vegan leave out the ghee and use oil.

Sometimes I add fresh chopped tomatoes, canned chopped tomatoes or even curry leaves to this and it adds a different dimension to the dish. I normally add cubed potatoes as I like the taste of chickpeas and potatoes combined, you can try something else should you prefer or leave it plain. If you wanted to make this more like a curry, add some water/chopped tomatoes/stock to the onions to make a gravy, this would give your chickpeas a looser consistency.

To serve I add lots of chopped coriander, green chillies, chopped lembu (lemon, on this occasion I didn’t have any) and of course eggs! This is a great accompaniment to kisuri, check out the recipe for the perfect match. I hope you you all enjoy this classic Bangladeshi chickpea dish.

Serves 8 – 10

You will need: for Classic Sana Biran

2 cans of chickpeas
2 large onions
1 large potato
2 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp oil
2 – 3 bay leaves
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
1 – 1.5 tsp salt (or to your taste)
4 – 5 whole green chillies
1/2 tsp turmeric
1.5 tsp mixed curry powder (Rajah brand)
1/2 glass of water (if desired for gravy)
coriander for garnishing

Method:

Start by peeling and slicing 2 onions. Cut your green chillies in half.

In a wide shallow pan heat 2 tbsp of ghee and 2 tbsp of oil. Once hot add 2 – 3 bay leaves and the 2 sliced onions….

….along with 1 tsp minced ginger, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 – 1.5 tsp salt and 4 – 5 cut green chillies.

Cover the onions and allow to saute for 5 – 8 minutes until translucent. Meanwhile peel and chop the potato into small cubes (sorry I forgot to take a photo). Once the onions are soft add 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1.5 tsp mixed curry powder. Fry the spices uncovered for a few minutes. If you would like a little gravy to your sana biran, add 1/2 a glass of water to the onions now.

Rinse and add the cubed potato, cover and allow potatoes to cook for 5 minutes.

Next add the 2 cans of drained chickpeas. Cover and allow this to cook for 10 – 15 minutes over a low flame, stir occasionally. The dish is ready when the potatoes are soft and fully cooked.

Finally check for salt, adjust if necessary and garnish with chopped coriander. Serve with extra green chillies, sliced boiled eggs and lemon wedges! For the perfect accompaniment to this dish, check out my kisuri recipe.

Bon Appétit!

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