Chickpeas with Mango Powder (Amchoor Chana)

660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer is proving to be one of the wisest cookbook investments I have made lately. There is an abundance of easy but deliciously satisfying curry recipes that are ideal for days when you want proper nourishment without much fuss. The extensive chapter on legume curries is one that I continue to explore, as most of my meals are centered around beans and legumes.

Amchoor powder is readily available at Indian grocery stores. It is made from unripe green mangoes that are dried and turned into a powder. It adds a tangy, slightly sour flavor to Indian dishes. If you do not have mango powder on hand, you can substitute the juice from one lime.

Chickpeas with Mango Powder (Amchoor Chana)

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from 660 Curries Cuisine: Indian Published on November 10, 2008 A simple but wonderfully spicy and tangy tomato chickpea curry Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried chickpeas (3 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans) 2 tablespoons ghee or a mixture of butter and oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 to 3 black cardamom pods, crushed 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 tablespoons mango (amchoor) powder 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 2 medium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped generous handful of fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste 1 small red onion or shallot, finely chopped Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight covered in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a large saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until for 1 to 2 hours or until the chickpeas are soft. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and set aside. Heat the ghee or butter and oil over medium heat in the same pan in which you cooked the chickpeas. When hot, add the cumin seeds, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks, and stir for 1 minute. Now add the ground spices, stir, and pour in the tomatoes. Cook, uncovered, stirring often, until for 5 to 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are reduced. Now add the chickpeas, the reserved cooking liquid, and half of the chopped parsley or cilantro. Cover the pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and season with salt. Serve hot, garnished with the remaining parsley or cilantro and the chopped red onion or shallot. Makes 6 servings