Punjabi Chana Masala

(Serves: 4-5)

Ingredients

3,5 dl chickpeas
2 medium sized onions, finely chopped
3 medium sized tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp ginger paste or coarsely ground ginger or grated ginger
½ tsp garam masala powder
½ to 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp amchur powder/dry mango powder
2 green chillies, slit
2 to 3 tbsp oil
salt

Spices for the Punjabi chana masala

4-5 black cardamoms
2,5 cm cinnamon
5-6 peppercorns
3 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 and half tsp cumin seeds
1 and half tsp coriander seeds
1 and half tsp fennel seeds
2 dry red chillies

Method

1. Cook the chickpeas or use ready-cooked.
2. Roast all the Punjabi chana masala spices in a dry pan. Don't let the spices burn and toss often. Once the spice mix is cooled, grind it into a fine powder.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and add the chopped onions. Fry the onions until they become transparent.
4. Now add the ginger paste. 
5. Once the raw smell of the ginger disappears, add the chopped tomatoes. Add a little salt. Saute the tomatoes till the oil starts to leave the sides of the mixture.
6. Add the Punjabi chana masala with the red chili powder, garam masala powder and green chilies to the onion-ginger-tomato mixture. Saute for a minute.
7. Add the chickpeas with a little quantity of stock or water. Add more stock if you want more gravy.
8. Check the salt and simmer for 8-10 minutes on a low to medium flame till the gravy thickens a bit and becomes quite smooth.
9. Finally, add the amchur powder.
10. Garnish the Masala with chopped onions and cilantro leaves.