Chana Masala (Punjabi Spiced Chickpea Tomato Curry)

Soak the dried chickpeas overnight, then pressure-cook them until they keep their shape but mash easily when pressed.

Drain most of the liquid, but keep a little cooking liquid nearby to loosen the sauce later.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pot over medium-high heat, then add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds.

Fry for 10 to 15 seconds, just until they crackle and smell nutty, then lower the heat before they darken.

Add 2 finely chopped onions and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom often.

Let them turn deep brown, not black, so the curry gains sweetness and body.

Grind 5 garlic cloves with 10 g ginger into a paste, add it to the onions, and fry over medium heat for about 2 minutes.

Stir constantly until the raw smell fades and the mixture looks glossy.

Add 3 roughly chopped tomatoes, 0.5 teaspoon turmeric, and 1 teaspoon coriander powder.

Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, mashing the tomatoes, until the sauce thickens.

Add 400g cooked chickpeas and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.

If it becomes too dry, add a small splash of reserved chickpea cooking liquid. Stir in 2 teaspoons garam masala and stop when the sauce clings to the chickpeas.