Lahori Chanay (Tea-Simmered Chickpea Curry for Breakfast)

Ingredients

• 250 g dried chickpeas (kabuli chana), soaked in water overnight (8–10 hours) and drained
• 1 black tea bag (or 1 tsp loose black tea tied in muslin)
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1.2 l water, for boiling the chickpeas
• 1½ tsp salt, or to taste
• 4 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 3 medium tomatoes, blended to a puree
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp anardana (dried pomegranate seed) powder
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• 2 green chillies, slit lengthways
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, cut into thin matchsticks
• ¼ cup fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Put the soaked chickpeas in a pressure cooker with the water, tea bag, baking soda and 1 tsp of the salt. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam.
2. Close the lid and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes after the first whistle, then let the pressure release naturally. The chickpeas should crush easily between two fingers. If they are still firm, cook for 10 minutes more.
3. Remove the tea bag and squeeze it lightly into the pot. Keep the chickpeas and their dark cooking liquid; you should have about 500 ml of liquid. Drain off any extra and save it.
4. Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the black cardamom, bay leaf and cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
5. Add the chopped onions and fry, stirring often, until deep golden brown at the edges.
6. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute until the raw smell is gone.
7. Add the tomato puree, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and the remaining salt. Cook on medium heat, stirring, until the oil separates and the masala turns thick and dark.
8. Tip in the chickpeas with their liquid and add the slit green chillies. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered.
9. Mash a few spoonfuls of chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken the gravy. Cook until it coats the back of a spoon; add a splash of the saved liquid if it gets too thick.
10. Stir in the anardana powder and garam masala, then turn off the heat. Top with ginger matchsticks and fresh coriander, and serve hot with lemon wedges.

Tips

• Soak the chickpeas overnight; the baking soda and tea in the boiling water give a soft texture and the classic dark brown colour.
• Take your time browning the onions. They give the gravy body and a rounded sweetness without any extra thickener.
• Mashing a few chickpeas into the gravy makes it creamy without adding flour or cream.
• Add salt and lemon at the end to taste, as the liquid reduces and the flavour concentrates.