Punjabi/Amritsari Chole

Instructions

1. Soak the dry chickpeas or chole in 3 cups of water for atleast 8 hours or overnight. 
2. After 8 hours, drain out the water and transfer it to a pressure cooker.
3. In another pan boil 3 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Then add 2 tsp black tea/chai powder and let it brew for 2-3 minutes.
4. Strain the tea and add it to the chickpeas. To this add 1 tsp of finely chopped ginger, 2 cloves of roughly chopped  garlic, 1 tbsp roughly chopped onions and 1 tsp salt. Cover the pressure cooker with the lid and cook till the chickpeas are completely cooked. 
5. Now put a pan on very low heat and add everything under spice mix (cloves, cardamom, jeera/cumin seeds, whole black pepper, fenugreek seeds) Roast these for 2 minutes till you get a nice aroma. Be careful not to burn the spices. Cool the spices and then grind into a fine powder.
6. Now in the same pan/kadhai add the ghee or butter on medium heat. To this add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and 1/2 tsp cumin seeds. Saute for few seconds then add the chopped onions and saute till they are lightly brown.
7. Add ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Then add the tomato puree and cover the pan with a lid and cook for 2 minutes or till you start seeing the oil separate on the sides. 
9. Now add turmeric powder/haldi, red chili powder, cumin/jeera powder, coriander/dhaniya powder and asafoetida powder/hing. Saute this for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Then add the dry mango powder or aamchur and the ground spice mix. Mix everything well. Add 1/2 cup water and cook for a minute.
10. Add the cooked chickpeas to the pan and mix everything well. Add more water if needed depending on how thick you prefer your gravy to be. Bring this to a boil. 
11. Then add the sliced green chilies, salt as per taste and crushed kasuri methi. Mix and cover the pan with a lid and cook for 8-10 minutes.
12. Now add the garam masala powder, few thinly sliced ginger and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and Serve hot.