Rajma Sundal

Ingredients

 * Chick peas - 1 cup
 * Tea bag - 1
 * Vegetable oil - 1/3 cup
 * Onions - 1 medium
 * Chopped onion - 1/2 cup
 * Ginger (1 inch in length)
 * Green chillies - 3 large
 * Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
 * Coriander leaves - 1 fistful
 * Sugar - 1 teaspoon
 * Pomegranate seeds - 1 teaspoon
 * Salt to taste
 * Cloves (whole) - 4
 * Cinnamon sticks (flat) - 1 inch
 * Cardamom - 2
 * Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon
 * Cumin seeds (Cumin, Jeera) - 1/2 teaspoon
 * Black pepper corns - 5
 * Shajeera (Caraway seeds) - 1/4 teaspoon
 * Nutmeg a pinch

Directions
Soak chick peas overnight and cook in sufficient water until cooked well. Drop tea bag in 1/4 cup of hot water, let it seep for 2 minutes. Remove and discard tea bag. Retain the water. Grate medium sized onion, ginger, slice green chillies length-wise and keep aside.

Heat cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper corns, shajeera and nutmeg in a skillet, on medium heat, while stirring constantly for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat, powder and keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadai and when it is hot add grated onion, garlic paste, ginger pieces, green chilli and sugar. Fry until the onion turns pale brown. Now add the boiled chick peas and powdered spices and fry on medium heat for 5 minutes. Next add 1/2 cup of water, water seeped with tea and pomegranate seeds to the skillet and cook on low heat until all the water evaporates.

Garnish with 1/2 cup of chopped onion pieces and coriander leaves. Serve very hot. Goes well with puri, paratha, naan and any kind of flat bread. In case pomegranate seeds are not available you may use 1 tsp. of dry mango powder called "aamchur".