Channa (noun.) In English chickpea, scientific name Cicer arietinum is an annual legume of Fabaceae family, widely known as garbanzo or garbanzo bean, Egyptian pea, chole and Bengal gram. Chole – puri and chole-bhature are famous Indian breakfast street foods and snacks that contain channa as one of the main dishes.
There are two varieties of channa – the white variety called the Kabuli. In the 19th century, merchants (travellers) from Kabul used to bring dry fruits and certain foods in the Indian markets. Kabuli (meaning "from Kabul" in Hindi). It is the type widely grown throughout the Mediterranean.
Chole masala or Channa masala is one of the most popular dishes in the world, both in and out of India and Pakistan. It is made from chickpeas cooked in a spicy and tangy tomato-based sauce.