Punjabi-Style Chole Chickpea Curry

Step 1: Prepare Tomato-Onion Paste

Add 2 thinly sliced onions, 2 chopped tomatoes, 1 tbsp ginger paste, and 2 tbsp garlic paste to a blender. Blend together into a smooth paste.

Step 2: Temper Whole Spices

Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a pot. Add 2 bay leaves, 5 cloves, 4 green cardamoms, and 5 peppercorns. Sauté until slightly darker and mildly fragrant.

Step 3: Sauté Chopped Onion

Add 1 chopped onion to the pot and sauté until softened and lightly browned.

Step 4: Cook Tomato-Onion Paste

Pour the blended tomato-onion paste into the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the oil begins to separate from the paste.

Step 5: Add Ground Spices

Stir in 1 tsp cumin powder, 2 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, and 2 tsp garam masala. Sauté for 5 minutes, mixing well with the paste.

Step 6: Simmer Chickpeas

Add 2 cans of rinsed chickpeas, salt to taste, and 1 1/2 cups of water to the pot. Stir to combine, then cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Step 7: Mash Chickpeas

After simmering, remove the lid and coarsely mash some of the chickpeas with a spoon or potato masher to thicken the curry.

Step 8: Serve

Serve the Punjabi-Style Chole Chickpea Curry warm, garnished with fresh cilantro and chopped onions, alongside naan or rice.

• Coarsely mash some of the chickpeas to thicken the curry.