Spicy black chickpeas (kala chana)

This is a very common North Indian dish. Kala chana (black chickpeas) are delicious even in salads. I like to sprout them sometimes and after boiling them in salted water they can be added to salads with lots of chilli powder, chaat masala, lemon juice and cilantro. They can also be used to make absolutely delicious vegetarian kebabs. Here is a link to that recipe. The recipe that follows is spicy and flavorful. It tastes even better a day after, when all the spices and flavors get soaked in. I topped the chana with a potato side dish and served everything with brown rice and creamy Greek yogurt.

Ingredients

1 cup black chickpeas soaked overnight
2 black cardamom and 1 bay leaf

1 red onion

1 large tomato

1 sprig currypatta

2-3 green chilies

2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

2 heaped teaspoons garam masala or chana masala

1 tablespoon coriander-cumin power

 1 teaspoon red chilli powder

salt to taste

cilantro to garnish
1 tablespoon oil

Method

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and add the cardamom and bay leaf. Saute for a few seconds, then add the onion. Fry well till they just start getting brown, add the curry patta. Now mix all the dry spices with some water and ginger garlic paste. Add the paste to the fried onions and stir well. Add chopped green chillies and tomatoes. Once the tomatoes become soft add the black chickpeas. Season with salt and add enough water to cover the chickpeas. Cover the pressure cooker with the lid and let it cook for at least 10 minutes or 5-6 whistles. Sometime I boil the chickpeas with salt and then prepare the onion gravy separately and mix the two. It tastes excellent when cooked in a slow cooker. I served it with a side of potatoes that I sauteed with onion  and red chillies and served it over some brown rice.