Ingredients

• To boil chick peas (unless using tinned, pre-boiled chickpeas:

• 250 gm. chick peas /Kabuli chana

• 1/4 tsp. or a large pinch of soda-bicarbonate

• 1 inch piece cinnamon stick or dalchini*

• 2 bay leaves or tej-patta*

• 2 large cardamoms or illaichi*

• 5-6 cloves*

• 8-10 black peppers*

• 1 tea bag *(to give brown colour to this dish)

• Water

• *You can tie all these in a small piece of muslin or old handkerchief, if you don't want to pick them from your plate.

• To Cook the Pindi Cholae/Chickpeas

• 2 tbsp. ghee or cooking oil, you can use less if you like

• 1 tsp. cumin seeds

• 2 medium sized onions, finely chopped or grated

• 1-1 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

• 2-3 cloves of garlic, grated (optional)

• 2-3 medium tomatoes, cut into small pieces or use tinned tomatoes

• 3 tsp. or to taste, ready-made Chana Masala Mix of any good brand. It gives the dish a nice, professional taste. In fact, most professional cooks use it. A Chaat Wallah in India once to

• Salt to taste, add only after you have tasted. Some Masala mixes already have salt.

• 1-1 1/2 tsp. amchoor* (dry mango powder) or ground anardana (ground pomegranate seeds). You can also use tamarind paste instead, I often do. If you cant find any these, use lemon juice.

• Garnish:

• A good handful of green coriander leaves, finely chopped

• 1-2 green chillies finely chopped

• 1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

• 1 lemon or lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Wash and soak chickpeas overnight or for a few hours.

2. Place chickpeas, 5 cups of water.

3. Tie all the whole spices and tea bag in a piece of muslin and add to the in a pan.

4. Boil until chickpeas are tender. This may take a couple hours. You may need to add more water during boiling. I always cook mine in a pressure cooker, for 15-20 minutes, so much faster and easier!

5. Drain water and save the water aside, in case you need to add some to the gravy later.

6. Remove the pouch containing whole spices + tea bag.

7. Heat the ghee or oil in cooking pan.

8. Add cumin seeds and whole spice*, allow the cumin to splutter.

9. Add onions, ginger and garlic and fry until medium brown. This dish can be made without onions and garlic, in which case, just add ginger and fry for a few seconds.

10. Add tomatoes and Chana Masala mix and stir in.

11. Fry until oil separates.

12. Add boiled and drained chick peas and potato cubes and stir fry to coat with spices.

13. Add 1/2 cup water from the previously saved water, more if too dry. This dish should be moist but without thin gravy, just have a 'clingy' sauce.

14. Add garam masala and half the coriander leaves, stir in gently.

15. To serve, garnish with coriander leaves, sliced onions, chopped green chillies and a wedge of lemon per person.

16. Serve hot with Kulcha bread or Bhatura or Chapatties or Nan or Tandoori Roti .

17. Like many dals, when it is made in advance and reheated later, it dries up and needs addition of a little water during heating.

Notes

• You can use tinned boiled chick peas in brine, saving time taken in boiling the chick peas. When using pre-boiled chick peas, add the whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf)when you add the cumin seeds to the hot oil.

• **Ready made chana masala mix ingredients: Coriander , Salt , Dry Mango , Pomegranate Seeds , Chilli , Cumin , Musk Melon , Black Pepper , Black Salt , Fenugreek Leaves , Cloves , Mint , Nutmeg , Dry Ginger , Cinnamon , Bay Leaf , Cardamom Ammomum Seeds , Caraway , Mace