Chana Masala

Cover the chickpeas with plenty of cold water and soak them for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Drain them and put them in a large pot with the 1 litre of fresh water and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil, skim off any foam, then simmer, partly covered, for 45–60 minutes. They are done when a chickpea crushes easily between two fingers and has no chalky centre. Drain them, keeping about 300 ml of the cooking liquid.

• chickpea250 g
• water1 L
• saltto taste

Chop the onions finely. Heat the oil in a wide heavy pan over medium heat and add the cumin seeds. After about 30 seconds, when they sizzle and smell toasty, add the onions with a pinch of salt. Cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until they are a deep golden brown. This colour gives the masala its depth. Lower the heat if they catch, and add a splash of water if they stick.

• vegetable oil4 tbsp
• cumin1 tsp
• onion2

Grate the ginger, crush the garlic and slit the chillies lengthways. Add them to the onions and cook for 1 minute. Chop the tomatoes, stir them in with the turmeric, the paprika and a pinch of salt, and cook for 10–12 minutes, pressing the tomatoes down with the back of the spoon. The masala is ready when it is a thick, dark paste and oil gathers at the edges of the pan.

• ginger20 g
• garlic4 cloves
• chilli2
• tomato400 g
• turmeric0.5 tsp
• paprika1 tsp
• saltto taste

Add the chickpeas and the reserved cooking liquid to the masala. Stir in the garam masala and the amchoor. Simmer for 20–25 minutes, uncovered and stirring now and then, and mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken the sauce. It should be thick enough to cling to the chickpeas. Taste and add salt. Off the heat, stir in the chopped coriander and the juice of the lime.

• chickpea250 g
• garam masala2 tsp
• amchoor1 tsp
• coriander20 g
• lime1
• saltto taste