Pindi Chana (Punjabi Chole) - Tea Infused Chickpea Curry

Ingredients (Serves 2-3)

For Boiling the Chickpeas (skip this step if using canned chickpeas)

1 cup chickpeas, raw
1 no black unflavored tea bag((if you are using a mild tea variety, you can use 2 bags)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oil
2 cups water
1/2 tbsp chaat masala

For the Sauce

4 tbsp mustard oil (or any neutral oil)
3/4 cup tomatoes, chopped
1.5 tsp grated fresh ginger shoot
1 fat garlic clove
1/4 tsp turmeric
1-2 Thai green chilies (adjust to tolerance)
Salt to taste
Chopped Cilantro for garnish

Grind to a coarse powder

1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp cumin
1.5 tsp coriander seeds
2 dry red chillies
1 tsp anardana (dried pomegranate seeds, use lemon juice/dry mango powder if you don't have these)
1 small black cardamom
1/2 tsp kasuri methi(dried fenugreek leaves)

Method

Soak the chickpeas overnight in enough water.
Drain and discard the water and transfer the chickpeas to your pressure cooker. 
Add tea bag, salt,soda, oil and 2.5 cups water and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles or till 95% cooked. 
Please adjust the cooking time & number of whistles depending on your variety of chickpeas. 
Once cooked, drain the chickpeas, discard the tea bag and reserve the stock. 
Mix with chaat masala and half of the ground spice powder with the chickpeas and set aside.

In a pot, heat up the oil to smoky on high heat. 
Take off the stove and add the chopped tomatoes to the oil. 
Also add ginger and garlic. 
Cook on medium heat till the tomatoes soften and you see oil separating on sides of the pot. 
At this point, add the turmeric and rest of the spice powder to the pan and cook for another 3-4 minutes till you smell a nice aroma. 
Add the chickpeas to the pot next with about 3/4 - 1 cup of reserved stock and green chillies. 
Taste and adjust the salt. Cover and let the chickpeas cook on medium low heat for 20-25 minutes or till they  are completely soft but not mushy.

Let sit for 1-2 hours before serving. The sauce will thicken up and develop flavors as the dish sits. 
When ready to serve, reheat and if you feel that they are too dry, add little bit of reserved stock, 
simmer again for 5-7 minutes and serve garnished with cilantro.

Serve with bhatura, warm tortillas, pita bread or naan.