Chole

Ingredients

• 1½–2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight — see soaking notes
• 2 plain black tea bags (for the dark colour)
• salt
• 2–3 tbsp oil or ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 green chili
• 2 tomatoes, puréed
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chili
• 1 tsp coriander
• 2–3 tbsp Chole masala (packet or homemade)
• finish: kasuri methi
• ½ tsp garam masala
• julienned ginger
• sliced raw onion
• coriander

Steps

1. 1.Cook the chickpeas with the tea bags + salt until soft. Remove the tea bags; keep the dark cooking water.
2. 2.Bloom the cumin. Add onions; sauté deep golden — don't rush, deep golden is the colour.
3. 3.Add ginger-garlic and green chili, then the tomato purée; cook until the oil separates.
4. 4.Stir in turmeric, Kashmiri chili, coriander, and the chole masala.
5. 5.Add the chickpeas + enough reserved water to make a thick gravy. Mash a handful of chickpeas to thicken.
6. 6.Simmer 20+ min (longer is better). Finish with crushed kasuri methi and garam masala.
7. 7.Top with ginger strips, raw onion, and coriander. Serve with bhature or puri.