Pindi Chole / Rawalpindi Style Dry Chickpea Fry

Ingredients (Serves 2 – 3)

1. Chole / white chana – 1 cup, dried (Soak dried chana in enough water for at least 8 hrs)

    Whole spices – Cinnamon stick – 1 inch, cardamom – 2, cloves – 3 – 4

    Tea bag – 1 (If you are using tea powder, tie it up in a muslin cloth and discard it after pressure-cooking. Its used to give this a dark brownish color, you can omit it if you want)

    Salt  To taste

    Ghee – 1/2 tsp (Optional)

    Water – 2 – 2.5 cups or in the same level as that of the soaked chana

2. Ginger-garlic paste – 2 – 3 tsp

3. Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

     Kashmiri chilly powder – 1/2 tsp

     Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

     Coriander powder – 2 tsp

     Garam masala powder – 1 tsp

    Cumin powder – 1 tsp

    Amchur powder – 1 tsp (optional)

    Anardana powder – 1 tsp

4. Salt  – To taste

5. Oil – 1 – 2 tbsp

6. Ghee –  2 – 3 tsp

Method

1.  Pressure cook the ingredients numbered 1, for 1 whistle or until chana becomes soft. Drain the chana, discard the whole spices and tea bag and set aside the stock for later use. Combine all the spice powders numbered 3 in a small bowl.

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan / kadhai (try to use a cast-iron pan for this recipe) at medium heat. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute until raw smell leaves and it turns brown. Bring down the heat and add all the spice powders, numbered 3, in the bowl. Saute for a minute and then add the drained chana. Mix well and saute for 1 minute. Now add in the reserved stock and mix well. Taste-check for salt. Saute everything at medium-high heat. Switch off when the chana is well-coated with the masala, about 3 – 4 minutes.

3. Heat 2 – 3 tsp ghee in a small pan to smoking point. Switch off.  Pour it over the prepared chana. Close with a lid for 5 minutes and then mix well. Garnish with chopped onion and cilantro. Sprinkle little lemon juice, if you want. Serve warm with chapathis or rice along with a gravy. You can even have it as a snack. This tastes best after a few hours.