Spicy Chickpeas with a Tangy Tomato Glaze

On tonight's menu, one of my favorite chickpea dishes. If you are using whole beans, and prepare the ingredients while the beans cook, the dish is complete and ready to eat in about a hour and a half, depending on the cooking time of the chickpeas that you use. Goes very well with Indian flat breads and a rice dish.

Savory Chickpeas in Tangy Tomato Glaze

1 1/4 cups of dried chickpeas
5 1/2 cups of water
4 tablespoons of ghee, or a mixture of oil and butter
2 teaspoons of fresh ginger, finely minced
2 - 3 hot chili peppers, finely minced
2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
2/3 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
12 curry leaves, preferably fresh
5 medium sized tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
1 1/2 teaspoons of turmeric
1 teaspoons of chat masala, or 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon of garam masala
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or coriander
1 1/4 teaspoons of salt

Soak the chickpeas in a large pot overnight in the water.

Bring the beans to a boil in the soaking liquid with a dab of butter and bring to a full boil over high heat. Immediately reduce the heat to low and cover and simmer until the beans are tender - about 1 - 3 hours, depending on how fresh the beans are. Drain the beans, saving 1/4 - 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the ghee, or butter and oil mixture in a large heavy pot over moderately high heat. When the oil is hot, stir in the ginger root, chillies, cumin seeds, and black mustard seeds. Fry until the cumin seeds turn brown - approximately 5 minutes.

Add the curry leaves, quickly stir and then add the tomatoes. Next toss in the turmeric, chat masala (or lemon juice) garam masala and half of the minced parsley or coriander. Stir-fry over moderate heat for 5 - 10 minutes, or until the tomato mixture turns into a smooth sauce.

Add the chickpeas and the reserved cooking liquid and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat and add the salt and 1 tablespoon of ghee or oil and butter, and the remaining fresh herb.

Yet another delightful dish adapted from Yamuna Devi's "Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking."