Ingredients–

• 500 gm chickpeas
• Tamarind – 2 walnut sized pieces, soaked in 3/4 cup hot water and the pulp extracted
• 100 gm ginger, julienned
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Green chillies for garnish
• 3 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste

Pindi Masala –

• Roast all the 7 masalas separately on a skillet till fragrant and the colour changes. The anardana should be nearly black. Grind all the ingredients to a fine powder
• 3 heaped tbsp whole anardana (dried pomegranate seeds)
• 1.5 tbsp whole cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp whole coriander seeds
• 12 cloves
• 20 black peppercorns
• 3 large black cardamoms
• 2” stick cinnamon

Whole Masala –

• 1 bay leaf
• 2 whole black cardamoms
• 5 cloves

Method –

1. Soak the Chana in 6 cups of water overnight
2. Separate water from chana in the morning. Reserve the water
3. Add 1/2 tsp baking powder to chana. Mix well and set aside
4. Boil water in Pressure cooker with whole spices for 10 minutes
5. Add chana. Pressure cook for 2 whistles
6. Let the pressure subside on its own
7. Open the cooker. If the remaining water is more than 1 cup, simmer till reduced
8. In a wok, add 3 tbsp of oil or ghee
9. Fry ginger juliennes till crisp and golden
10. Remove and set aside
11. Let the oil cook a bit
12. Add the ground roasted masala to the oil
13. Stir on low heat for a couple of minutes till fragrant
14. Add the chana with the water
15. Add salt
16. Add tamarind pulp
17. Stir carefully on high heat
18. As the water dries, a thick masala will coat the chana
19. Serve garnished with fried ginger strips and green chillies
20. Also, serve lemon wedges and raw onions on the side