Lahori Murgh Cholay (Chicken with Chickpeas)

Ingredients:

• 250g chicken (cut into small pieces)
• 200g white chickpeas (Kabuli Chana)
• 1 1/2 cup onion (chopped)
• 1/2 cup tomato (chopped)
• 2-3 green chilies (broken)
• 2 tsp. ginger paste
• 2 tsp. garlic paste
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/4 tsp. sugar (optional)
• 1 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 " cinnamon stick
• 1/2 tsp. mace
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorn
• 1/3 cup oil
• 100 ml + 200 ml water
• Salt to taste
• Few coriander leaves (for garnish)

Making Procedure:

Wash the chickpeas and soak overnight or 7-8 hours with enough water. Then drain the water. Into a pressure cooker pour the soaked chickpeas, a pinch of baking soda along with water and boil them. After boiling drain the water and keep aside.

Clean and wash the chicken. Then put it in a colander for 20-30 minutes.

On a dry tawa roast cumin-coriander seeds, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, and black peppercorn. Then grind all the spices and keep aside with a cover.

Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onion and fry till golden brown. Add chicken and fry for 5-10 minutes on low heat. Add ginger-garlic paste, stir well and fry for 2-3 minutes. Then add tawa roast masala, broken green chilies, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Mix well and fry it for 2 minutes.

After that add chopped tomato and fry for a minute on medium heat. Then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. Open the lid and add 100 ml water, stir well and cook it covered for 5-7 minutes or till the chicken is tender.

Now add the boiled chickpeas, sugar (optional) and 200 ml water. Stir well and cook it covered for 10-12 minutes.

Sprinkle garam masala and few coriander leaves over the murgh-cholay and serve with paratha, puri or roti.