
We are doing an A to Z series where I am posting a series of street food breakfast recipes. Today we are at the alphabet O. I am posting a special breakfast from the streets of Okha.
Okha is a coastal town in India’s Devbhoomi Dwarka district of Gujarat state. It is situated on a narrow strip of land that projects into the sea and is surrounded by sea on three sides.
Okha Breakfast | Channa Chevdo is a trendy breakfast on the streets of Okha. There is just one vendor, Haribhai who is famous for this street food. His stall starts early morning and goes on till the afternoon. I have recreated the breakfast in my kitchen.
For this breakfast we boil brown chickpeas, add them to the gravy and serve with a crunchy poha chevdo. A handful of fried peanuts and a handful of potato sticks add on to the crunch. Drizzle some tangy tamarind chutney, add spices according to your taste and your breakfast is ready. Serve it with Pav to make a complete meal.

Ingredients for Okha Breakfast | Channa Chevdo
Curry
Black Chickpeas: Remember to soak the chickpeas for a good 6-8 hours. This helps in faster cooking. Use a pressure cooker to boil them.
Onion & Tomato: Chop both onion and tomato finely.
Spices: Everyday pantry spices like chilly powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder go into the curry, whereas you must add some chaat masala to finish off the dish.
Besan; Besan is optional. I prefer to use dry roasted chickpea flour as it helps to make the gravy thick.
Chevdo
Nylon Poha: Nylon poha is the thin variety of Poha. This is the ideal variety to make the chivdo. Do not soak it, simple roasting is fine.
Spices; For this Chevdo, I use salt and turmeric. You can add a number of things, like peanuts, chillies, and other savoury snacks to make as per your choice.
Accompaniments
Fried Peanuts
Potato Sticks
Tamarind water
Pav
How to make Okha Breakfast | Channa Chevdo
Channa
Wash and soak the channa overnight or anywhere between 6-8 hours. You can also use sprouted channa as I have done.
Wash the channa again after they have soaked, and pressure cook them with salt to taste. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles, then simmer the flame for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally. Check if done by pressing a Channa between your index finger and thumb.
Curry
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pot. Add asafoetida and then onions. Sauté the onions till pink. Add chopped tomatoes and salt and cook the tomatoes till they are soft and mushy.
Next add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and finally besan. Roast the spices very well.
Now add the boiled channa, along with the water that they have been boiled in. Add water to adjust the consistency of the gravy. Simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.

Chevdo
Take the raw nylon poha in a mixing bowl. Add salt, and turmeric, and mix well.
Now take a wok or a kadhai, add a teaspoon of oil and add in the seasoned poha. Toss till crisp, this should take 5-7 minutes on medium flame.
Transfer back to the mixing bowl.
Assembling the Dish
Add a ladleful of channa to a serving dish. Now add some Chevdo to it. Next, add a ladleful of the channa gravy.
Drizzle the tamarind water.
Throw in some of the nylon chevdo again. Also, add some potato sticks and fried peanuts.
Now sprinkle chaat masala, red chilly powder. Adjust the spices as per your choice.
Serve with Pav to make a complete meal.

Serving suggestions
Channa Chevdo is a lip-smacking dish, I like to enjoy it without any accompaniments.
To covert channa chevdo into a meal, serve it with Ladi Pav.
Storage Suggestions
Store the Channa in the refrigerator for up to two days without adding any chevdo or nuts. Add the chevdo at serving time, else it will become soggy.
If freezing, I freeze the boiled channa. I prepare the gravy fresh and serve it with accompaniments.
Some recipes with Black Chickpeas
Bhavnagar Breakfast | Moth Channa
Health Benefits of Kala Channa
As a rich source of iron, Kala Chana can prevent anaemia and boost your energy levels.
Ideal protein source for vegetarians when had in combination with whole grain or whole wheat protein.
Helps to lose weight.
Kala Chana is a type of legume loaded with nutrients such as protein, fibre and carbohydrates.
Enjoy Kala Channa and Gur / jaggery in winters, it is a combo made in heaven to boost energy.

Okha Breakfast | Channa Chevdo
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Pan / Kadai / Wok
Ingredients
Channa
- 1 cup Black Chickpeas / Desi Channa
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
- 1 Onion finely chopped
- 1 Tomato finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Besan
- 1 tbsp Red Chilly Powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- Salt to taste
Chevdo
- 2 cups Nylon Poha
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- Salt to taste
Other Ingredients
- Fried Peanuts
- Potato Sticks
- Tamarind Water
- Red Chilly Powde
- Chaat Masala
- Pav
Instructions
Channa
Boil the Channa
- Wash and soak the channa overnight or anywhere between 6-8 hours.
- Wash the channa again after they have soaked , and pressure cook them with salt to taste. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles , then simmer the flame for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Curry
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pot . Add asafoetida and then onions. Sauté the onions till pink. Add chopped tomatoes and salt and cook the tomatoes till they are soft and mushy.
- Next add red chilly powder, turmeric powder , coriander powder and finally besan. Roast the spices very well.
- Now add the boiled channa , along with the water that they have been boiled in. Add water to adjust the consistency of the gravy. Simmer and cook for about 10 minutes .
Chevdo
- Take the raw nylon poha in a mixing bowl. Add salt , turmeric , mix well .
- Now take a wok or a kadahi , add a teaspoon of oil and add in the seasoned poha. Toss till crisp , this should take 5-7 minutes on medium flame.
- Transfer back to the mixing bowl.
Assembling the dish
- Add a ladleful of channa to a serving dish. Now add some Chevdo to it. Next add a ladleful of the channa gravy.
- Drizzle the tamarind wate
- Throw in some of the nylon chevdo again. Also add some potato sticks , fried peanuts.
- Now sprinkle chaat masala, red chilly powder. Adjust the spices as per your chance.

Let’s check the Breakfasts that I have already posted in this series.
A -Z Breakfast on Indian Streets
January
Amritsar Breakfast | Chola Poori
Bhavnagar Breakfast | Chana Moth
Chandigarh Breakfast | Matar Paneer Paratha
February
Eklingji Breakfast | Mirchi Vada
Faridabad Breakfast | Katlambe Aloo Chole
March
Ghaziabad Breakfast | Poori Sabzi Halwai Style
Haridwar Breakfast | Chola Aloo Poori Thali
Indore Breakfast | Poha Jalebi
April
Jamnagar Breakfast | Bhareli Poori
Kolkata Breakfast | Pitai Paratha with Ghughni
May
I bet will have to now open an Indian atlas to find where these little gems are hidden ! What a fabulous find for a breakfast from Okha ! I think there’s a similar (not fully) dish in Maharashtra with missal thari poha
What not to love this delicious breakfast! It is a very flavorful treat and I am enjoying your journey of breakfast from different regions!
Oh my, this is so sinful Vaishali. Not to mention I am reading about it for the first time…thanks for taking the pains to record such unique dish!…