1. Rinse and soak the Kabuli chana overnight in water – enough to immerse it. This helps to soften the chana and speed up the cooking process. Kabuli chana is also known as chickpeas or garbanzo beans.

2. Drain the chana and pressure cook using about 2 cups of water with turmeric and a little salt. Canned garbanzo beans are a time saver and can be used to replace dry garbanzo beans. Make sure to rinse and drain canned beans before use to remove excess salt and the gooey liquid that is found in most canned beans.

3. Sauté chopped onions, garlic, green chillies and grated ginger.

4. Add turmeric powder and salt to taste.

5. Sauté until the onions turn translucent. Add amchur powder and sauté for a minute. Amchur powder, also known as dry mango powder, is available in Indian grocery stores here in the United States. Amchur powder adds a sour flavor to the dish.

6. Now add the chopped tomatoes, cilantro and mint. Sauté for a couple of minutes. Tomatoes and chillies are rich in vitamin C.

You can choose to add these herbs as a garnish rather than while sautéing the onions and tomatoes.

7. Before adding the cooked chana, drain excess water. Adding all the water from the pressure cooked chana will make the dish more watery. In the traditional chana masala, onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies and tomatoes are blended to make a sauce. Chana pindi has a crunchy texture due to the chopped onions.

8. Add chana masala powder and stir well. I sometimes use garam masala and dhania powder instead of chana masala powder. Cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.

9. Cook until the tomatoes become soft. If necessary, use some of the water from the cooked chana to cook the tomatoes.

10. Turn off the stove and garnish with more chopped cilantro. I like to add chopped cilantro and mint leaves just before turning off the stove for a delicious aroma. Enjoy with pulao or roti.