Spice Kitchen - Indian
Punjabi Chickpeas
This popular North Indian dish works well as a side or as the main act. It’s both wholesome and healthy, without compromising on flavour.
INGREDIENTS
- 250g dried chickpeas
- 1 bag of black tea (any brand is fine)
- 2 medium onions thinly sliced
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 green chilli
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (or mild paprika)
- 3 tsp ground coriander
- Salt to taste
- 1⁄2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Fresh coriander roughly chopped
METHOD
- Soak the dried chickpeas in plenty of water overnight.
- The next day, drain and place in a saucepan with fresh water (approximately triple the amount of your chickpeas) and the tea bag.
- Bring to the boil, and simmer for approximately 2 hours, until they are tender. Once cooked, remove the tea bag and set the chickpeas aside, still in their cooking water.
- Meanwhile, blend the ginger, chillies and tomatoes to a fine puree and set aside.
- In a heavy bottom saucepan, heat the oil.
- Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle before adding the sliced onions and cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Once caramelised, add the tomato puree and cook for further 10 minutes before adding the Kashmiri chilli and coriander.
- Next, drain the chickpeas and reserve a cup of the liquid.
- Add the chickpeas and the reserved liquid to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes on medium heat, stirring regularly, adding a little more water if the curry has thickened too much.
- Finish with a squeeze of lemon and chopped coriander.