Not your usual - Pindi Chana

When I first ordered Pindi Chana in a restaurant, I thought it wouldn't be too different from chana masala. I was wrong. What was eventually served to me looked nothing like the dish I liked. It had no gravy, the chickpeas were almost black in color and the dish had a very heady aroma. I decided before taking a bite that I wasn't going to like the dish. Well, I was wrong again.

Pindi chana (named after its city of origin Rawalpindi) is different from the way chickpeas are commonly cooked (which I think is Amritsari). It doesn't have the omnipresent duo of onion and tomato and uses not one but two souring agents for a strong tang. As for the black color originally it came from powdered gooseberries (amla), now it comes from tea bags.

After that first sampling I tried quite a few recipes in the hope that I could recreate the same taste. No such luck; until the day we got a new pressure cooker and a booklet of recipes along with it. An authentic recipe for pindi chana in a cooker booklet?! "No way", I thought. But ... (y'all should know what's coming!) I was wrong; and here it is.

PINDI CHANA (Spiced Chickpeas)
(serves 2-3)
1 cup chickpeas (kabuli chana), soaked overnight
1 tea bag (optional)
1 1/2 tbsp pomegranate seeds (anardana)
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 black cardamoms (badi elaichi)
2 small sticks of cinnamon
3-4 cloves
1 1/2 tbsp coriander powder
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp garam masala
1-2 tsp mango powder (amchur)
3-4 green chillies, slit
3-4 thin slivers of ginger
2 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp ghee
salt to taste

In a pressure cooker or deep saucepan, combine (drained) chickpeas, tea bag, cardamoms, cinnamon and cloves. Add 3-4 cups of water, season with salt and cook until the chickpeas are done. Allow to cool then discard tea bag and whole spices.

Meanwhile roast cumin and pomegranate seeds on moderate heat until they become aromatic. Let cool then powder in a coffee/ spice grinder. Keep aside.

Drain excess liquid from the chana into a bowl. Add spices - pomegranate-cumin, coriander, mango, pepper and garam masala. Mix thoroughly until chickpeas are well coated. Add ginger and green chillies.

In a tadka ladle heat ghee and oil till they smoke (with an eye on your alarms please!). Pour evenly over chickpeas.

Next add the reserved cooking liquid and cook chickpeas on medium-high heat until it dries up. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with finely chopped onion and cilantro. Serve hot.