Preparation:
Sort and clean the chickpeas and wash them under cold water. Drain. Soak for 24 hours in a bowl containing 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the baking soda, and a quart of water. Place chopped onion, garlic, and ginger in the container of a blender with 3 tablespoons of water. Blend at high speed until you have a smooth paste. In a 4-quart pot, hat the oil over a medium-high flame.
When very hot, put in the asafetida and cumin seeds. After a few seconds, when the asafetida expands and the cumin darkens, put in the paste from the blender, keeping face averted. Fry, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Now drain the chickpeas and add them to the pot. Also put in the potatoes, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, 1 teaspoon salt, the cayenne pepper, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Cover, and allow to simmer gently for 1 hour. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of tamarind paste to chickpeas according to tartness desired. Stir. Check salt. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. To serve: This dish tastes very good with hot pooris or parathas. Some kind of relish-perhaps cucumber and tomato with lemon juice-should be served with it. For a complete meal add a green vegetable dish. |
