Recipe Chole (Punjabi Chickpea Dhal) or Chana Dhal

[karadekoolaid]

( 6-8 people)

200 gms dried chickpeas or 2 tins chickpeas
Ghee or oil
4 bay leaves
2 tsps turmeric powder * (only if you're using dried chickpeas)
2 dried hot chiles
1 large onion, sliced into half moons
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 cm fresh ginger, minced
2 fresh hot chile peppers, chopped
1 tsp turmeric
Sea salt
Black pepper
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 tomatoes, cut into 8 pieces
Fresh coriander leaf, roughly chopped (as much as you like)
1 tbsp garam masala
Crispy fried onions to garnish


Method:

• Soak the chickpeas overnight covered in water.
• The following day, drain the chickpeas, rinse, place in a large cooking pot and cover with double the amount of water.
• Add the bay leaves, the 2 tsps turmeric, the dried chiles and a tsp of salt. Bring to the boil and cook for about 50 - 60 minutes, until the chickpeas are soft. Drain, keeping some of the cooking water, and return the chickpeas to the pot.
• In a frying pan, add the ghee until it is hot. Add the sliced onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft.
• Now add the ginger, garlic and hot peppers. Cook on medium high for about 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic loses its "raw" smell.
• Add the turmeric and stir for about 30 seconds. Tip all the contents of the frying pan into the pot.
• Stir in the tomato paste and a cup or two of water (or the cooking liquid). Salt and pepper.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the temperature to medium-low and cook for about 15 minutes or so, until all the flavours come together. Add more water (or cooking liquid) if the chickpeas look too dry.
• Now add the chopped tomato, the coriander leaf and the garam masala. Cook through for another 5 minutes or so.
• Top with crispy fried onions if you want.

Typically, the Punjabis eat this for breakfast (which is where I got the recipe) and accompany it with bhatura (fried, yoghurt bread)