Pindi Chole

Instructions

1. In a pressure cooker add 3 cups of water along with the chana that was soaked overnight. Make a potli out of the bay leaf, whole red chilli, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and 2 tea bags. Sprinkle some salt to taste. Put on pressure. After the first whistle put flame on medium flame and cook for 5 mins. Allow to cool before opening lid.  Else if in a hurry, put pressure on high flame and wait for 7 whistles. Cool immediately and open lid.
2. Once the lid of the cooker is opened, remove the potli. One can buy muslin spice bags from online to replace handmade potli. Separate the chana from the water. Keep both chana and water for later use.
3. Dry roast together all the homemade chana masala over low flame, till they turn golden brown and start releasing their individual fragrance. Stir constantly and vigorously. This takes around 4 – 5 mins or so. Cool and grind them to a powder in a blender. Chana masala is now ready to use.
4. Heat oil in a wok over medium flame. Add the crushed ginger, green chillies. Saute for a minute or so over medium flame. Now add the chana without the water. Stir a bit before adding the prepared chana masala and Kashmiri red chili powder to it. Stir continuously till oil leaves the masala. Keep stirring till masalas are done and starts releasing oil. Next transfer the water of the pressure cooked chana to the wok.
5. Cover and cook for 10 mins, stirring occationally. Add the tamarind juice, mango powder and ghee. Cook for another minute or two. Pindi Chole is ready to be served. Garnish with some green chillies, onion rings and coriander leaves. Serve hot along bhatura, kulchas or simply with either rice or phulkas.