Ingredients:

• 2 cups – Chickpeas (soaked overnight in plenty of water)
• 1 tsp – tea leaves (tied in a small muslin cloth to form a pouch)
• 1 – Bay Leaf
• 1.5 – tomatoes, chopped
• 1 – medium size red onion, chopped
• 1-2 florets – garlic, chopped
• Chopped Ginger (depending upon taste)
• 2 – whole Green chillies
• 1 stick – Cinnamon
• 1 – whole big Cardamom
• 3-4 Cloves
• 1/2 – Nutmeg (jaifal)
• Small quantity of Mace (javitri)
• 6-7 – whole black pepper seeds
• 1/2 tsp – Garam Masala
• 1 tsp – Coriander seed powder
• 1/2 tsp – chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp – Cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp – oil

Method:

1. Preparation of paste:
2. Grind onion, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg (jaifal), green chillies, mace (javitri), chopped ginger, and black pepper in a hand mixer (or in the mixer).
3. Add oil in a heavy pan; add cumin seeds, cloves and onion mix into oil.
4. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt, and coriander powder.
5. Mix it very well, and stir till oil separates.
6. Add chole, bay leaf, and tea pouch in pressure cooker for 4 to 5 whistles.
7. Add chopped tomatoes in prepared paste and cook until oil separates.
8. Now add this paste into cooked chole.
9. Close the pressure cooker again for 1 whistle.
10. Sprinkle garam masala on top of it.
11. Serve it hot with puri, roti, or with bhatura.

Recipe courtesy of Bharti Agarwal