Chhole Masala

Makes: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup chickpeas

1 chopped onion

1 chopped tomato

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 tbsp chana masala

1/4 tsp red chilly powder

1/4 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Pinch of hing

Salt per taste

2 tbsp cooking oil

METHOD:

- Soak chickpeas overnight in warm water and pressure-cook* it with 1/2 tsp salt and enough water.

- Keep it aside and don't drain the water from it.

- Take oil in deep kadai and once heated, add cumin seeds. 

- Once it splutters, add hing and chopped onions. Saute it for a min or 2.

- Add ginger-garlic paste and cook it for a min.

- Add chopped tomato with rest of all seasonings. Mix it well and cook it till tomatoes turn into puree. Seasonings will leave the finest aroma by then.

- Add boiled chickpeas with water and cook it open for around  10 mins.

- Garnish with Lachcha Onions* & serve hot with Kulcha.

Notes:

* Take 1 tsp of tea (optionally 2 tea-bags) and 2 cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick in small cloth. Make a potli of it and put it in while pressure-cooking chickpeas. "Remove it once done." It will give a nice dark-brown texture & wonderful aroma to chickpeas. 

* Take an onion and cut it into half vertically. Thin slice the same way and separate each string of it. Add a pinch of salt & few drops of lemon juice. It goes well with any traditional North-Indian dish.