Pindi Chana, or Pindi Chole, is essentially one of the most popular North Indian dishes originating from the city of Rawalpindi in Pakistan. This dish features chickpeas, or chana, cooked in a robust blend of spices. Chickpeas are soaked overnight in water and subsequently cooked until they become very soft. What gives Pindi Chana a difference of its own is the special spice that is added to the dish; usually cumin, coriander, garam masala, and amchur (dried mango powder). The use of these spices provides the dish with a strong aromatic flavour of both spiciness and tanginess. A hint of tamarind or lemon juice may also be added to some recipes for an extra layer of tanginess. It can be made typically without much gravy and hence is normally a dry or semi-dry dish. The spiced mix chana chat with chickpeas, saut ed onions, tomatoes, and the spice mix perfectly melds into a perfect North Indian favour. Typically, fresh coriander leaves are used for garnish, and it comes out with pickles and sliced onions on the side, a great add-on to further the flavour and taste of the dish. Pindi Chana is frequently relished with various Indian breads like naan or roti or served over steamed rice; the nutritious aspect makes it an excellent lunch item or dinner dish and is indeed found on restaurant menus and street food stalls all over India and Pakistan. It's healthy, as it is prepared with chickpeas, and people find it tasty because the chickpea is a good source of protein and is high in fibre along with necessary vitamins and minerals. With that, in both a family get-together or during a festive celebration, Pindi Chana is the kind of food that soothes the soul and represents the wide richness of South Asian food.

• 1 cup chana
• 2-3 tea bags
• 1 tbsp dried anardana
• Salt
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp amchur powder
• 1 tsp chana masala powder
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 large onion
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 3 medium tomato
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2-3 green chilli

• Soak 1 cup of chickpeas or chana in enough water overnight. This will help soften the chickpeas and thus help to save considerable cooking time in preparing this delicious Pindi Chana recipe. The softened chickpeas are crucial to bringing out the perfect texture in the recipe for Pindi Chana.
• Take a large pan and add soaked chickpeas, 2-3 tea bags, and salt according to your taste. The tea bags add rich colour and flavour to the chickpeas.
• Add enough water to boil them, then boil them until they are soft and tender. It will take nearly 30-40 minutes to boil the chickpeas.
• Once the chickpeas are cooked, remove the tea bags. Squeeze them a bit for remaining flavours and dispose of them.
• In a dry skillet on low heat, heat one tablespoon of dried anardana or pomegranate seeds and one tablespoon of coriander seeds until fragrant for about 2-3 minutes.
• Add half of the turmeric powder, half of the red chilli powder and one tablespoon of amchur to the roasted mixture.
• Grind this mixture into a fine powder. This will be your chana masala.
• In an iron kadai, heat three tablespoons of ghee on medium heat. Add 1Tsp of cumin seeds to it, let the seeds change colour, and emit the aroma, which will take nearly half a minute.
• Add finely chopped onions to the ghee. Let them saut , turning golden brown until they become caramelised and add more sweetness and depth to the food.
• Add the aromatics once the onions turn light brown.
• Add one tablespoon of ginger paste and one tablespoon of garlic paste to it. Mix it well for around 1-2 minutes, letting the raw smell disappear from your mixture. That is an important step to ensure the final taste of Pindi Chana turns out to be well-rounded.
• Now comes the turn of ground spices.
• Add all the remaining half portion of the turmeric powder, the rest of the red chilli powder, 1Tsp of cumin powder and 1 Tsp of coriander powder. Let everything mingle for another minute, letting the spices toast and their flavours develop. This step gives a great character to the dish and enhances the flavour overall.
• Finally, with a well-combined and fragrant mixture of spices, you can add chickpeas. Toss them carefully and your Pindi Chana is ready.