Cooking from the Back of a Box - Chole

Growing up, my mother collected recipes. She would clip them from newspapers, flyers, magazines, and the back of boxes. She collected them all in a shoe box. When she was ready to cook, she would take out her box and look through them. I have obscure recipes from the '70s and '80s that are only for their time, like jello trifle. My mother knew if she needed a specific recipe, it was somewhere in there. She also cooked from the recipes she remembered growing up with as a child. She would make the same dish, in the same manner, every time. The end result was the recipe. There was no better. And so, while I was in college, she spent over two years writing down all her recipes.

G does not believe in recipes. He believes in the scientific method. Each time he makes a recipe, he is always tinkering with the ratios. Growing up, his mom did not cook from recipes and would never make the same dish twice. Each time, his food is just a little different. Minor tweaks here and there change the dish for the better, but you can never ask for a specific dish. I find this endlessly frustrating as I love enjoying the same food again and again. My mother was equally horrified. She once made her classic apple pie, only to have G ask if she would like to add ginger. She could not understand why anyone would want to tinker with perfection.

And so chole or chickpeas cooked in spices has been a perfect example of these ideas. Chickpeas are simmered with tomatoes, onions, and spices to make a delicious dish. Growing up, I remember having chole at a friend's house or a wedding. Chole or Punjabi chole is popular in North India and was not part of my mother's repertoire. We didn't start enjoying it at home until my mom asked her friend for her classic Punjabi chole recipe. I've always loved it, but a little of G (or a lot) has rubbed off on me, and I've tweaked it to make it better. I added a little more garam masala as well as Kasuri methi or fenugreek leaves. When you cook the chickpeas initially, make sure they are soft and easily mashable. This gives the final dish a nice consistency.

G likes the chole recipe. But he thinks it could use a few more tweaks.

Chole

Chole is a classic North Indian dish. Chickpeas are simmered with tomatoes, onions and spices. I've tweaked my Aunty Meena's recipe with a few more spices and fresh cilantro.Serves 4

• 1 cup chickpeas
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil
• 2 cardamom
• 2 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 1 inch ginger (minced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 medium tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 cup cilantro (chopped)
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teasoon red chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon kasuri methi leaves (or fenugreek)
• 2 teaspoons salt

1. Soak chickpeas 5-6 hours or overnight.
2. In an instant pot, cook on manual high pressure for 30 minutes. Natural Release. If cooking on the stove, cover with 2 inches of water, then bring to boil. Turn the heat down and simmer about 40 minutes. The chickpeas should be soft and mash easily with the back of a spoon.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat oil. Add the cardamom, clove and cinnamon and saute for 30 seconds. Add the onions and saute until translucent about 5-10 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until it browns and sticks, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes, cilantro, garam masala, cumin, chili flakes, and fenugreek. Stir a few times and let cook 5 -10 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.
6. Add the chickpeas and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.
7. Serve with roti or rice.