Chole / Indian Chickpeas Curry / Spicy Chickpeas Curry / Spicy Garbanzo Beans Curry

Chickpeas are also known as Kabuli Chana in India. I don't know where the link with Kabul came from but it is called so..and my mother loved to make ghughni with these beauties. But I always loved that spicy Chole Masala Haldiram serves in their joint under the name "chole bhature". You can skip the bhature (a big puffed up puri) if you are in weigh loss project, but you can check out their chole anytime, as it is insanely tasty. They also pour a big spoon of ghee over that before serving, which you can request them not to.

But in Abidjan, Haldiram is a far cry, and even if it were there I would have ignored, because now I always prefer homemade food with a little healthy touch in it. Chickpeas or Garbanzo beans are low in carb and saturated fat, which makes it a real smart choice for anyone who is health conscious. Cook this curry with a little less oil and masala and you will never feel that you are under diet.

We went to a beach side restaurant last week and it had an wonderful seaside view. Colorful fishing boats were leaving for their catch and some people also came there for fishing. The waves were dashing onto the nearest shore. When we went to the balcony it even sprinkled some of its water towards us, and we finished our lunch with the smell of the sea. Nothing could have been better.

It has already started to rain heavily in Abidjan. Almost everyday I wake up with the soothing sound of raining and feel lovely. We have moved our bed towards the window and now I can enjoy the rain without even moving a bit. A book, a cup of cappuccino and rain, is there a better combination for peaceful living in this world????

Chole
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups of chickpeas/ kabuli chana / garbanzo beans
• 1 medium onion - chopped
• 1 tomato - chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic - paste
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• a handful of fresh coriander leaves - chopped
• 2 tsp green chili paste / red chili powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp dry fenugreek leaves powder / kasuri methi
• 1 tbsp chole masala
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cardamom
• 3 cloves
• 1 unflavored tea bag
• salt
• 2 tbsp oil

Chole masla:

• 1 cinnamon stick - small
• 2 cardamom
• 2/3 cloves
• 1 black cardamom
• 1/4 tsp shah jeera (optional)
• 5-6 black peppercorns
• 2 dry red chili
• 1/2 start anise
• 1/4 nutmeg (optional)
• 4-5 anardana / pomegranate seeds
• 1 blade of a mace (optional)
• 1or 2 bay leaf

Method:

• Soak the chickpeas overnight in water. Once soaked up, they will swell up double in their size. Drain the water and keep the chickpeas aside.
• Dry roast the ingredinets listed under chole masala and grind them to a fine powder. Keep them in an airtight container and use accordingly.
• Put the chickpeas in a pressure cooker with around 2 cups of water. Put turmeric powder, tea bag and salt in it. Cook the chickpeas until the cooker blows 2 whistles. Put off the flame and let the steam out of it naturally.
• In a kadai heat up oil and add the chopped onions. Sauté until they start to become golden.
• Now add the ginger - garlic paste and sauté till the onions turn nice and brown.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, green chilies and cook until the tomatoes become all soft and mushy and start to release oil. You will know it is done when the mixture will smell like tomatoes no more.
• Now add just 2 tbsp water, mix well and put the turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder and coriander powder. Mix again.
• Drain the boiled chickpeas and add them to this onion - tomato mixture. Do not throw away the water. We will add them later.
• Mix the chickpeas nicely, so that each of them gets coated with the mixture.
• Now add the kept aside boiled chickpeas water. The water is for the gravy, so use as much as you need. If you want your "chole" to be really runny, use almost all of it, or else just 1/2-1 cup will do the job.
• Now add the kasuri methi / dry fenugreek leaves and the chole masala.
• Mix and cover to let it cook. Simmer for some 7-8 minutes on medium flame. Check accordingly so that the bottom does not get all burned up.
• After 7-8 minutes, check your chickpeas. If it has become soft and the gravy tastes right, it is done.
• Now simmer until the gravy reaches your desired consistency.
• Add the chopped coriander leaves and sprinkle a little more of the chole masala.
• Cover and put off the flame. Let it stand like that for at least 10 minutes before serving.
• Serve with parathas / roti / bhature with a dollop of ghee / butter over it.