Indian
1Preparation
- Drain the chickpeas and rinse them under cold water.
- Finely chop the onions.
- Blend the tomatoes to a smooth purée.
- Grate the ginger, crush the garlic and slit the green chili lengthwise.
- Chop the fresh coriander.
2Cooking
- Heat the oil in a pot, add the cumin seeds and bay leaf and let them sizzle until the cumin darkens slightly.
- Add the onions and fry, stirring often, until deep golden brown — this is what gives the gravy its colour and depth.
- Add the ginger, garlic and green chili and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric and Kashmiri chili and stir for 30 seconds, adding a splash of water if they stick.
- Add the tomato purée and salt and cook until thick and the oil shows at the edges.
- Add the chickpeas and water and bring to the boil.
- Mash a handful of chickpeas against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon, then lower the heat, partly cover and simmer until the gravy thickens.
- Stir in the garam masala and amchur and cook for 2 minutes.
3Serving
- Scatter over the fresh coriander and squeeze over the lemon juice.
- Serve with basmati rice, naan or bhatura, with sliced onion and lemon on the side.
💡 Tips & common mistakes
- Common mistake: not browning the onions enough, which leaves the gravy pale and flat-tasting. Be patient until they are deep brown.
- Mashing some of the chickpeas thickens the gravy naturally, no flour or starch needed.
- If you cook dried chickpeas yourself, boil them with a black tea bag — a traditional Punjabi trick for a darker colour.
- It tastes even better the next day and keeps in the fridge for 3 days.
🔁 Substitutions
- Amchur: an extra tablespoon of lemon juice.
- Canned chickpeas: 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and boiled until tender.
- Kashmiri chili: paprika.
