Degchi
Spiced Chickpeas
Serves 4 · Total 60 min · Prep 15 min · Cook 45 min
Photo: Billjones94 / CC BY-SA 4.0
Soft whole chickpeas simmered in a thick onion-tomato gravy with warm spices, finished with a sprinkle of tangy chaat masala. A beloved vegetarian staple across Pakistan, eaten with naan, puri or boiled rice, and just as popular as a street-food chana chaat.
Quick answer: 60 min in total · serves 4 · main ingredients: Chickpeas, Onion, Tomato, Ginger · amounts in metric and US
Ingredients
- 200 g 1 cup Chickpeas, dried, soaked overnight (or 2 tins, drained)
- 150 g 1 cup Onion, finely chopped
- 200 g 1.3 cup Tomato, pureed or finely chopped
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp Ginger, paste
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp Garlic, paste
- 0.5 tsp 0.5 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Red chilli powder
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Coriander powder
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Chaat masala
- 3 tbsp 3 tbsp Cooking oil
- to taste to taste Salt
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp Coriander, chopped, for garnish (Optional)
Steps
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- Soak the dried chickpeas for 8 hours or overnight, then drain and boil them with salt for 45–60 minutes (10–12 minutes in a pressure cooker), until one crushes easily between your fingers. Keep 1 cup of the cooking water. Skip this step if using tinned chickpeas.⏱ Boiling chickpeas · 45 min
- Heat oil and fry the chopped onion until golden brown.⏱ Frying onion · 7 min
- Add ginger-garlic paste and tomato, and fry until the oil separates.⏱ Frying masala · 8 min
- Add turmeric, red chilli powder and coriander powder, and cook for a minute.⏱ Cooking spices · 1 min
- Add the boiled chickpeas and 1 cup of their cooking water, crushing a few against the side of the pan. Simmer for 10–15 minutes, until the gravy is thick and clings to the chickpeas.⏱ Simmering · 12 min
- Taste and adjust salt, then sprinkle chaat masala and chopped coriander on top before serving.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does Spiced Chickpeas take to make?
Spiced Chickpeas takes about 60 minutes in total. That is about 15 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of cooking.
How many people does this Spiced Chickpeas recipe serve?
This version serves 4. The Degchi app has a servings scaler if you need more or fewer portions.
What ingredients do I need for Spiced Chickpeas?
You need Chickpeas, Onion, Tomato, Ginger, Garlic, Turmeric, Red chilli powder, Coriander powder, Chaat masala, Cooking oil, Salt. Optional: Coriander.
Is Spiced Chickpeas difficult?
Degchi rates it Easy, with 6 steps in the method; steps that need timing have a built-in timer in cook mode.
Is Spiced Chickpeas halal, vegetarian or eggless?
It is marked halal in our recipe data. It is vegetarian. It has no egg. It has no beef. Check the labels on any packaged ingredients for your own needs.
What will I probably need to buy for Spiced Chickpeas?
Everyday staples that Degchi counts as pantry basics: turmeric, red chilli powder, cooking oil, salt. Spice-box items: coriander powder, chaat masala. Fresh items you will probably need to buy: onion, tomato, ginger, garlic. Lentils, grains and other dry goods: chickpeas.
Any tips for making Spiced Chickpeas?
Mashing a spoonful of chickpeas thickens the gravy naturally without extra flour. For a darker, restaurant-style colour, boil the dried chickpeas with a black tea bag and remove it before cooking the masala.
Notes and questions
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