Chana Masala

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1. 1Step 1: Rinse the dried chickpeas a couple of times in water. Then soak them in enough water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours.
2. 2Step 2: Drain the water. Rinse the chickpeas again in fresh water and add them to a 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker.
3. 3Step 3: Add whole spices: cinnamon, black cardamom, tej patta and cloves.
4. 4Step 4: Add dried amla to get the dark color in the chickpeas.
5. 5Step 5: Instead of dried amla, you can add 1 black tea bag. You can also simply cook the chickpeas plain with the spices and water.
6. 6Step 6: Pour in the 2.5 cups of water.
7. 7Step 7: Pressure cook the chickpeas for 15 minutes on medium to medium-high heat. Wait for the pressure to drop naturally in the cooker. Then open the lid and check if the chickpeas are cooked well.
8. 8Step 8: The chickpeas must be tender, softened and have a melt in the mouth texture. They should mash easily when pressed with a spoon. The cooked chickpeas must not give any slight bite when you eat them.
9. 9Step 9: If you do not have a pressure cooker, cook the chickpeas in a pot with plenty of water or in an Instant Pot. Cooking chickpeas in a pot will take a lot of time though.
10. 10Step 10: Remove the amla pieces which would have softened by now or the tea bag from the stock. You can also remove the whole spices from the stock, but I keep them. Keep the cooked chickpeas along with the stock aside.
11. 11Step 11: Heat oil in a kadai (wok) or a pan. Add slit whole green chilies and fry them on medium-low heat until they have some light golden blisters on them. Ensure to slit the green chilies and fry, so that they do not burst in the oil. Note that you could skip frying the green chillies if you prefer. Or opt to add 1 to 2 green chilies in the masala while sautéing.
12. 12Step 12: Place the fried green chilies on kitchen paper towels for any excess oil to be drained.
13. 13Step 13: In the same oil, add the carom seeds. Sauté for a few seconds until the carom seeds are fragrant.
14. 14Step 14: Add finely chopped onions. Stir and sauté until the onions turn translucent or light brown.
15. 15Step 15: Add ginger paste and garlic paste. Sauté until their raw aroma goes away.
16. 16Step 16: Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and garam masala powder.
17. 17Step 17: Mix the spice powders with the sautéed onions and then add finely chopped tomatoes.
18. 18Step 18: Stir the whole mixture very well to combine the tomatoes with the mixture.
19. 19Step 19: Sauté until the tomatoes soften and the oil starts to leave the sides of the masala.
20. 20Step 20: When the oil starts separating from the onion and tomato masala and it looks glossy, at this point add the chickpeas along with the stock (the water in which the chickpeas were cooked). You could also opt to add fresh water instead of the stock.
21. 21Step 21: Mix well and then add salt and dry mango powder.
22. 22Step 22: Stir again and simmer the curry on medium-low to medium heat. You can also mash a few chickpeas with the back of the spoon to thicken the gravy.
23. 23Step 23: Simmer till the gravy has thickened. You will also see some oil specks floating at the top of the gravy.
24. 24Step 24: Check the taste and add more salt, red chili powder, garam masala powder or dry mango powder if needed.
25. 25Step 25: Lastly add the fried green chilies to the gravy or keep them aside to be used as a garnish.
26. 26Step 26: Serve Chana Masala hot garnished with coriander leaves paired with bhatura or pooris or naan or roti.
27. 27Step 27: As a side accompaniment serve the Chana Masala with sliced onions, tomatoes and lime or lemon. You can also add some fried potato cubes as a topping and serve.