Serves: 4
Total Calories: 448

1 3/4 cups , dried garbanzo beans, , sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water
1/4 cup Tamarind Paste
1 1/2 tablespoons Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste or store-bought
5 to 6 cups water
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3 to 5 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin
1 stick cinnamon (1-inch)
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ajwain seeds
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups finely chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground black salt
1 to 3 fresh green chili pepper, such as serrano, split lengthwise in half
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight in water to cover by 2 inches. Meanwhile, prepare the tamarind paste and the ginger-garlic paste. When ready, drain the chickpeas and place them in a pressure cooker long with 5 cups water. Baking soda, salt, cardamom pods, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes.

2. Carefully open the lid and check to see if the beans are very soft with some of them broken if not, add more water as needed, cover, bring up to pressure, and cook under high pressure another minute. Or, cover and boil until the chickpeas are soft and creamy, about 45 minutes.

3. Heat the oil in a small nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin and ajwain seeds they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger-garlic paste and stir about 1minute. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook until the tomatoes are soft and all the juices evaporate, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the coriander, ground cumin, garam masala, turmeric, and black salt, then add the tamarind paste and bring to a quick boil. Mix into the chickpeas along with the green chili peppers, cilantro, and mint, and summer until the sauce is very thick, about 15 minutes. Stir vigorously and smash some of the chickpeas to further thicken the dish. Serve.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 448
Calories from Fat: 103

More Recipes from the 1000 Indian Recipes Cookbook:
* Dried Beans, Lentils, and Peas
Basic South Indian Soupy Split Pigeon Peas
Black Beans in Traditional Curry Sauce
Black Chickpeas with Chickpea Masala
Black Chickpeas with Sizzlilng Ginger and Cumin Seeds
Black Urad Beans in a Slow Cooker
Black-Eyed Peas in Yogurt Curry
Canister Chickpeas (or Dried Yellow Peas)
Chickpeas in Traditional Curry Sauce
Chickpeas with Ginger, Garlic, and Chaat Masala
Chickpeas with Spinach and Potato Wedges
Chutney Chickpeas with Tamarind
Classic Kidney Bean Curry with Onions
Classic No-Onion Kidney Bean Curry
Crispy Split Pigeon Pea Cake
Curried Black-Eyed Peas
Dry-Cooked Green Split Peas
Dry-Cooked Red Lentils with Cumin Seeds
Falguni's Gujarati Split Pigeon Peas
Fresh Green Chickpeas with Lentil Nuggets
Garlicky Dried Green Peas Curry
Garlicky Yellow Mung Beans with Zucchini Wheels
Green Lentils with Sautéed Onion
Gujarati Green Mung Beans with Green Masala Paste
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Kashmiri Small Red Beans
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Mustard-Roasted Adzuki Beans
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Punjabi Dry-Cooked Yellow Mung Beans
Punjabi Green Mung Beans with Sizzling Ginger
Punjabi Red Beans with Mango Pickle Masala
Punjabi-Style Split Pigeon Peas
Rajasthani Mixed 5 Beans and Lentils
Red Lentils with Bengali 5-Spices
Roasted Green Lentils with Tomatoes
Roasted Yellow Mung Beans and Potatoes
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Small White Beans with Indian Spices
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White Urad Beans with Roasted Fenugreek Leaves
Yellow Mung Beans with Fresh Curry Leaves
Yellow Mung Beans with Sautéed Onion and Ginger
Yellow Split Chickpeas with Spinach
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