As anyone familiar with Indian food knows, chickpeas are one of the most common types of legumes found on Indian tables. In this popular recipe, the spices and fresh ingredients are added at the very end of the cooking time to preserve optimum flavor and freshness. Regulate the heat by the amount of cayenne you use.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8

　　2 cups dried chickpeas

　　6 cups water

　　1 red onion, finely chopped

　　1/4 cup sesame or vegetable oil

　　1 tablespoon cumin seeds

　　1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

　　4 whole cloves

　　4 green cardamom pods

　　1 1/2 teaspoons pure chile powder

　　1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

　　1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

　　1 teaspoon garam masala

　　1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

　　Salt to taste

　　Juice of 1 lemon

　　Yogurt, for serving (optional)

　　3 fresh serrano chiles, seeded, deveined, and cut into julienne, for garnish

　　A few fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

　　

Step 1

Thoroughly rinse the chickpeas and place them in the slow cooker insert along with the water. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the chickpeas are tender.

　　

Step 2

In a large sauté pan, brown the onion in the sesame oil until dark brown in color, about 15 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Combine the cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, chile powder, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, and cayenne in an electric coffee mill or a mortar and pestle and grind to a coarse powder.

　　

Step 4

Add the coarsely ground spices to the onion and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, then add the onion and spices to the cooked chickpeas. Recover and continue cooking for another 30 to 60 minutes.

　　

Step 5

Using a handheld immersion blender, purée some of the chickpeas in the insert to thicken the mixture.

　　

Step 6

Add salt to taste, then stir in the lemon juice. Ladle into bowls, add a dollop of yogurt, and garnish with the chile slices and cilantro leaves.

　　

Suggested Beverage

Step 7

I would enjoy a light- to medium-bodied white wine, such as a Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, or Spanish Rueda or Albariño.

　　

Nutrition Per Serving

Per serving: 210.0 calories

　　110.0 calories from fat

　　12.0g total fat

　　4.5g saturated fat

　　0.0mg cholesterol

　　105.0mg sodium

　　20.0g total carbs

　　4.0g dietary fiber

　　3.0g sugars

　　7.0g protein

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by [TasteBook

　　using the USDA Nutrition Database]( )

　　[The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker](http://astore.amazon.com/epistore-20/detail/158008074X) by Lynn Alley. Copyright © 2010 Lynn Alley. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Lynn Alley is a freelance food and wine journalist interested in traditional foods and techniques from around the world. The author of Lost Arts, she has contributed articles to Fine Cooking, Cook's Illustrated, the San Francisco Chronicle, and _Appellation_magazine. She frequently writes for Wine Spectator and its Web site. Alley has also taught classes at cooking schools around the United States. She resides in San Diego, California.