Amritsari Chole

Who doesn't like chole right? Nearly every Indian living here or abroad craves for this spicy chicpea curry whenever they want to dig into something spicy and desi. It easily the first dish that pops into one's mind when we want to taste something familiar, isn't it? My mom makes really yummy chole and I attempted to follow her recipe, that she has culled from a couple of Punjabi friends and adding a bit of her own touch to come up with really delectable chole. Here's how

Ingredients:

• 200 gms chicpeas
• 1 big onion chopped
• 2 onions chopped
• 2 green chilies
• 2 inch piece ginger chopped
• 2 inch cinnamon stick
• 3 pods of black cardamom
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 3/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp pepper corns
• 3 cloves

Method:

• Heat a pan, roast 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick, coriander seeds, pepper corns, 2 cardamoms, cumin seeds and cloves.
• Roast it for about 3-4 minutes and grind it into powder.
• Pressure cook chicpeas with three cups of water, a tea bag and  stick of cinnamon and a pod of cardamom.
• Heat oil in a thick bottomed vessel. Add ginger, bay leaf and green chilies. Saute for a minute.
• Add onions and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook it for two more minutes.
• Add chili powder, the ground masala and let it cook in a low flame for 5 more minutes.
• Add the chana, stir well, add salt and let it cook for 10 more minutes till it is a thick gravy.
• Serve hot with bhatura, puris or jeera rice and cucumber raita.