Indian Spiced Chickpea Gravy

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 1 black cardamom pod
• 1 inch piece cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 3 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 dry kashmiri chillis
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon amchur or dry mango powder
• 2 small Indian or Thai green chilies, split in half
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

Directions

1. Put the chickpeas in a medium bowl, then add enough warm water to cover them by 2 inches. Leave them to soak for 12 hours. Pour the soaked chickpeas, along with their soaking liquid, into a pressure cooker. Close the cooker and warm it over medium-low heat until it reaches low pressure. Once it comes to pressure, cook until the chickpeas crush easily, about 25 minutes. Release the pressure, then let everything cool.
2. While the chickpeas cook, set a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the black cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and Kashmiri chillies. Toast them, stirring often, until they smell aromatic, about 5 minutes. Let the spices cool, then pulverize them in a coffee grinder until you have a fine powder.
3. Warm the oil in the same pan over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onions and cook, stirring as they soften, until they turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook until its sharp raw aroma is gone, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and continue cooking, stirring, until they collapse and the oil begins to separate, about 10 minutes. Stir in the dry mango powder and green chillies, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ground spice mixture and stir until it smells toasty. If the spices start catching on the pan, add a few teaspoons of water, since they can scorch quickly here. Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked chickpeas with the water they cooked in, stir well, and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes so the chickpeas take on the spices. Finish with coriander leaves and onion rings, and serve with rotis, bhaturas (deep fried bread), or rice.