Cholley (Chickpea Curry)

1. Rinse the dried chickpeas and soak them in plenty of cold water overnight or for at least 8 hours, then drain and rinse again.
2. Place the soaked chickpeas in a large pot with the water and a teaspoon of salt, bring to a boil, then simmer partly covered for 60 to 90 minutes until they are tender enough to crush easily between two fingers. Top up with hot water if needed and reserve about a cup of the cooking liquid before draining.
3. Toast the cumin, coriander, and nigella seeds in a dry pan for about a minute until fragrant, then lightly crush them in a mortar.
4. Heat the oil in the same pot over medium heat, add the toasted spices, and once they sizzle add the finely chopped onions. Fry for 8 to 10 minutes until deep golden brown, then stir in the minced garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes along with the turmeric, chili powder, and salt, and cook down for 5 to 7 minutes until the oil begins to separate from the masala.
6. Stir in the cooked chickpeas and enough of the reserved cooking liquid to make a thick gravy, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, mashing a few chickpeas against the side to thicken the sauce.
7. Sprinkle in the garam masala, simmer for a final 2 minutes, then taste and adjust the salt. Serve hot with rice or flatbread.

You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Large pot · Saucepan