Pindi Chana

This is the easiest recipe in my cook book. Whenever we are going to have some guests in house this is my favorite as this does not involve any chopping, cutting or cooking the onions/tomato masala for hours.

This recipe demands some extra grease so if you want a healthier version you can use non stick but taste will be compromised. I usually do not use much of oil in this when cooking as a daily meal option. But for guests I try to be more generous.

Ingredients:

1. Kabuli Chana/White Chikpeas - 1 Cup
2. Tea bags - 2
3. Garlic - 6-7 cloves
4. Ginger - 1 inch long piece
5. Whole black pepper - 3-4
6. Black Cardamom or badi elaichi - 1
7. Cinnamon or Daalchini stick - 1
8. Cloves or laung - 2-3
9. Salt to taste
10. Coriander powder - 7-8 table spoon
11. Red chili powder - 1/2 table spoon
12. MDH Chana Masala - 4-6 table spoon (I prefer MDH because it gives the chana a very good taste. I have never been satisfied with any other brand , specifically for this dish)
13. Mustard oil - 1/2 table spoon
14. Cooking oil - 8-10 table spoon

Method:

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight or for at least a couple of hours if you are in hurry.
2. Put the chickpeas in a pressure cooker along with black peppers, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, salt, whole garlic cloves, ginger chopped in big chunks and tea bags.
3. Add mustard oil and water to this and let it cook for about 20-25 mins. Do not put a lot of water as this is a dry dish.
4. In another pan take cooking oil and let it heat. 
5. Add coriander powder and red chili powder to hot oil and let it cook for a minute.
6. Add this tampering to the boiled chickpeas in pressure cooker and let cook.
7. Add chana masala to the pressure cooker and give a nice stir.
8. Let this cook till the water dries and chickpeas have a good consistency.

Tampering (Optional):

1. Heat 1 serving spoon of clarified butter or desi ghee in a small pan.
2. Add dried red chilies to this.
3. Once chilies are cooked add this tampering on top of your serving bowl. 
4. You can add some degi mirch also to this tampering to add that extra color to your dish.
5. Garnish the chanas with fresh green coriander or sliced Onions, tomatoes and green chilies.