Chana Pindi (Indian Chickpeas Masala) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

300 g chickpeas
1 black cardamom pod
2 green cardamoms
2 tea bags
4 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon roasted coriander seed
1 teaspoon ajwain
2 tablespoons gram flour
2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
2 large chopped onions
3 -4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon crushed cumin powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (1/4 of a teaspoon if you want it mild and 1/2 a spoon if you want it hot)
50 g chana masala
1/2 lemon, juice of
1/2 teaspoon chat masala
salt
coriander leaves, for garnishing
1/3 teaspoon garam masala

Preparation

Soak Chickpeas overnight or for at least 6 hours.
Boil them with enough water and teabags till they are soft.
Throw away the teabags (the tea Bags are to give the chick peas a dark colour) Traditionally Chana pindi was cooked in an Iron Kadahi (skillet) That gave the chickpeas a dark colour.
Heat oil in an Iron skillet.
If you do not have one use a non stick pan.
Add the cardomoms.
After a minute add onions and saute.
After about two minutes, add the roasted coriander seeds and the ajwain seeds,and continue to saute the onions.
When the onions turn golden, add the gram flour (Besan).
This is to give body to the curry.
Now add ginger garlic paste and keep frying.
take care that the ginger garlic paste does not stick to the base.
Saute for about 3 to 4 minutes so that the raw smell of the ginger garlic is gone.
Now add tomatoes and fry Add all the powders and salt and continue to fry till the tomatoes soften and mix properly.
add the boiled chickpeas and fry.
Mash 3-4 tablespoons of chickpeas and mix it in.
simmerfor 15- 20 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with chapati, naan, Kulcha etc.
Enjoy.