Chole

Ingredients

• 300g dried chickpeas
• 2 black tea bags, tied in a small square of muslin or left in the pan
• 1 litre water, for cooking
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh root ginger and garlic paste
• 2 green chillies, slit lengthways
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp chole masala powder
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp dried mango powder (amchur)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, for the masala
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
• Sliced red onion and lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1. Rinse the chickpeas and soak in plenty of cold water for 8 hours or overnight. Drain.

2. Put the chickpeas in a large pan with the tea bags, the 1 litre water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour until tender. Discard the tea bags and keep the cooking liquid.

3. Heat the oil in a heavy pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds for 30 seconds, then the onions, and cook for 10 minutes until deep golden.

4. Add the ginger and garlic paste and green chillies and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, turmeric, ground coriander, chole masala, chilli powder and 1 1/2 tsp salt and cook for 8 minutes until the oil separates.

5. Add the chickpeas and 300ml of the reserved liquid. Simmer for 20 minutes, mashing a few chickpeas to thicken the gravy.

6. Stir in the mango powder and fresh coriander. Serve with sliced onion and lemon wedges, and with bhature, kulcha or rice.