1. 1 cup chana (chickpeas) soaked overnight
2. 2 red onions
3. 2 hot house tomatoes
4. 4-5 cloves of garlic
5. 1 bay leaf
6. 1 black cardamom
7. 1 anise seed
8. 1 stick of cinnamon
9. 1 tablespoon cumin powder
10. 2 tablespoons chana masala ( MDH or Badshaah or Shaan)
11. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
12. 1 tablespoon coriander powder
13. pinch of red chilli powder
14. 1/2 teaspoon of Amchur powder ( dry mango powder)
15. 1 tablespoon fenugreek leaves
16. salt to taste
17. 4 teaspoons of cooking oil- mustard, canola, avocado, ghee
18. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
19. Chopped fresh coriander
Method-
1. In an instant pot or pressure cooker put the soaked chana with the water it was soaked in. Add more water if needed. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, anise seed, and salt. Let it whistle at least 10 to 12 times.
2. Chop/grind the garlic and red onions together, and keep them separate. Grind the tomatoes separately.
3. In a deep, thick bottomed pan (nonstick or iron cast) heat the oil. Add cumin seeds. Once they begin to splutter add the onion garlic paste. Turn heat to medium and fry until golden brown.
4. Add the other dry spices. Keep mixing until you see some oil separate on the side.
5. Add tomatoes puree and continue stirring.
6. Add the boiled chanas from the cooker to the mix.
7. Keep stirring until you see the oil come up and it begins to bubble. Slow cook it but stir occasionally.
8. In the end add fenugreek leaves and chopped coriander to garnish.
Serve with naan bread or white basmati rice.
******If cooking in an instant pot then fry the above mix and add raw washed chanas to the mix, add 4 cups of water for every cup of chana. If you want more sauce then add another cup of water and cook for 20-30 mins in the instant pot. When you open it the chanas should mush in between your fingers, if not then let it go for another 20 mins.
