RECIPES / CARIBBEAN COOKING

Trini Curry Channa and Aloo

Tender chickpeas and potato cooked in a properly bloomed Trinidad curry base with BackYard Blendz Spicy Green Seasoning, whole geera, roasted geera and an optional touch of amchar masala. Crushing a little of the channa and aloo creates a thick, natural gravy for roti or rice.

PREP

15 mins

COOK

40 mins

YIELD

4 main-course servings or 6 side servings

CUISINE

Trinidad and Tobago

HEAT

Medium

Ingredients

2 cans chickpeas, about 15 oz / 425 g each, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups drained)
1 lb / 450 g potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch / 2.5 cm pieces
2 tbsp neutral oil
3/4 tsp whole geera (cumin seed)
1/4 tsp methi (fenugreek) seeds, optional
3–4 fresh caripoulé (curry) leaves, optional
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 1/2 tbsp Trinidad-style curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
3 tbsp BackYard Blendz Spicy Green Seasoning, divided
1/2 cup / 120 ml water, for the curry paste
2 to 2 1/2 cups / 475 to 600 ml hot water, as needed
1 tsp roasted ground geera
1 tsp amchar masala, optional but recommended
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Salt, only if needed after tasting
2 tbsp thinly sliced chive or scallion, for finishing, optional

Method

Prepare the curry paste. In a small bowl, mix the curry powder, turmeric, 2 tbsp BackYard Blendz Spicy Green Seasoning and 1/2 cup water into a smooth, pourable paste.
Temper the whole spices. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan or small Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the whole geera, optional methi and optional caripoulé leaves. Cook for 20–30 seconds, just until fragrant. Do not allow the seeds to burn.
Soften the onion. Add the onion and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until softened and lightly golden at the edges.
Cook the curry. Reduce the heat to medium-low and carefully add the curry paste. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until it darkens slightly, smells rounded rather than raw, and the oil begins to show at the edges. If it catches before the curry is cooked, add 1 tbsp water at a time.
Coat the channa and aloo. Add the chickpeas and potato. Stir for 3–4 minutes so the curry coats every piece and begins to cling to the chickpeas and potato.
Simmer until tender. Add 2 cups hot water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a steady simmer, partially cover and cook for 18–22 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potato is fork-tender. Add up to another 1/2 cup hot water only if the pot becomes dry before the potato is cooked.
Build the gravy. Uncover the pot. Use the back of the spoon to crush several pieces of potato and a small portion of the chickpeas against the side. Stir them back into the gravy and simmer uncovered for 5–8 minutes, until thick but still spoonable.
Layer the finish. Stir in the remaining 1 tbsp Spicy Green Seasoning, roasted ground geera, optional amchar masala and black pepper. Simmer for 3–4 minutes so the final seasoning cooks through.
Rest and serve. Taste before adding salt. Remove from the heat, fold in the optional chive and rest for 5 minutes. The gravy will thicken slightly as it stands. Serve with sada roti, dhalpuri, buss up shut or rice.

BackYard Blendz Chef Notes

Using dried channa: Soak 1 cup dried chickpeas overnight, drain and cook in fresh water until tender before beginning the recipe. Reserve the unsalted cooking liquid and use it in place of some or all of the hot water. The curry simmer is for flavour and potato tenderness, not for cooking hard dried chickpeas from raw.

Do not rush the curry. The paste should smell aromatic and rounded before the channa and aloo enter the pot. If the curry still smells powdery, it needs more time and possibly a small splash of water.

Control the gravy deliberately. Crush only enough potato and chickpeas to give the sauce body. Crushing too much will turn the dish into a mash; crushing none may leave the gravy thin.

Curry blends differ. Trinidad curry powders vary in heat, bitterness and turmeric content. If your blend is strongly bitter or very hot, reduce the curry powder to 2 tbsp before changing any other ingredient.

Geera and amchar masala are not interchangeable. Roasted geera brings warm cumin aroma. Amchar masala adds a deeper, slightly tangy spice profile. The dish remains recognisable without amchar masala, but it gives a stronger roti-shop character.

Heat adjustment: Spicy Green Seasoning supplies the intended medium heat. Do not add hot pepper automatically. For a gentler version, use Original Green Seasoning at the same quantity. For more heat, add a whole hot pepper during the simmer and remove it before serving rather than chopping it into the pot.

Optional coconut variation: For a rounder, richer gravy, replace 1/2 cup of the hot water with 1/2 cup coconut milk. This is a variation, not the baseline Trini home-style formula, and it will soften the curry and pepper profile.

Make-ahead and storage: The flavour improves after a short rest. Cool leftovers promptly, refrigerate in a covered container and use within 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water because the potato and chickpeas continue to absorb liquid.

Made with BackYard Blendz

BackYard Blendz Spicy Green Seasoning

The fresh seasoning at the heart of this recipe. Explore the product, see the ingredients and add it to your kitchen.

LEARN THE FLAVOUR

New to Caribbean green seasoning?

Discover what green seasoning is, the herbs behind it and how Caribbean cooks use it to build flavour into everyday dishes.

More Caribbean Recipes

Recipes

Trini Dhal

November 10, 2026

Silky Trinidad-style yellow split-pea dhal finished with a traditional garlic-and-geera chonkay.

View Recipe

Recipes

Trini Curry Pumpkin

November 3, 2026

West Indian pumpkin cooked with bloomed curry, garlic, pimento, geera and a…

View Recipe

Recipes