Choley Pindi (Punjabi-Style Chickpeas)

Café Spice Namaste, p. 105

7 oz kabuli channa (chickpeas), soaked overnight and then drained, or 14-oz can of chickpeas, drained

2-3 tbsp oil

2 tsp cumin seeds, crushed

1 onion, finely chopped

5-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

¾-in piece of fresh ginger, chopped

2-3 green chilies, slit lengthwise

2 tomatoes, chopped

4 tbsp Greek-style yogurt

1 tsp channa masala or chaat masala, if available, or a squeeze of lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Salt

Make sure to get the ginger chopped up pretty small. A big bite of ginger will make your dining experience significantly more eye-watering.

If using soaked dried chickpeas, put them in a pan with enough fresh water to cover by about ¾ in and boil until tender. Drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan, add the cumin and sauté for a minute without letting it burn. Add the onion, then the garlic, ginger and green chilies, and cook until the onion is softened. 

Don't worry too much about the chilies. They're mostly just there to look pretty and make the dish a little tangy.

Stir in the tomatoes, followed by the yogurt. 

The onion ends up just kind of happily nestled in among the other ingredients. A happy circumstance of Indian cooking.

Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thoroughly heated through. Add the masala, if using, or squeeze in a few drops of lemon juice, then stir in the cilantro. 

And then it looks the same, but with chickpeas.

Season to taste with salt and serve with bhaturas, poories or parathas.  

Or with a yummy ciabatta roll from Trader Joe's. You know, whatever. 

My Rating: 4/5 "Great flavor! I used lemon juice, which I thought accented everything beautifully. It's a nice healthy dinner that leaves you with a happy tummy."