It is an unsplit heart –shaped pulse that is relished by North Indians as a snack.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1. 300gm tin cooked chick peas
2. 1 bay leaf
3. ½ inch cinnamon stick
4. 1 cardamom seed
5. 2 cloves
6. ½ tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
7. 2 tsp poppy seeds
8. 1 tsp sesame seeds
9. 1 tspfull cashew nut /almond powder
10. 1 tbspfull desiccated coconut
11. 1 medium onion (chopped finely)
12. 2 cloves garlic (chopped finely)
13. ¾ inch ginger (chopped finely)
14. ½ green chilli (chopped finely)
15. 1 tsp coriander powder
16. 1tsp paprika
17. ½ tsp turmeric powder
18. 1 fresh tomato (diced)
19. ½ tsp dried mango powder
20 a few fresh coriander leaves
21. 3tbsp sunflower oil

Method:
• Heat oil in a dry saucepan.
• When hot, add finely chopped onions and fry till golden brown.
• Add minced garlic and ginger and green chilli. Stir till the lovely aroma appears.
• Mix coriander powder, paprika and turmeric powder in ¼ cup of water and make a smooth paste. Add it in.
• Keep stirring till the liquid dries up and the oil separates.
• Add diced tomatoes and cook till the liquid dries up.
• Add the drained chickpeas in and mix well.
• Cook covered on a medium flame for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile grind poppy seeds first, next sesame seeds then bay leaf, cinnamon stick (broken to small pieces), cardamom (remove the outer covering), cloves, cumin seeds and lastly, desiccated coconut to a smooth paste.
• Mix the ground ingredients along with cashew nut/almond powder and mango powder with ½ a glass of tepid water.
• Pour it into the chickpea mixture and stir well. Cover and cook on a low flame for 5-7 minutes.
• Transfer the shahi chickpeas to a serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.