Soak white chickpeas in water overnight or 8-10 hours and pressure cook them until soft. I sometimes pressure cook them with a tea bag to give the dish a rich smoky flavor and deep color. Tea bag can be discarded once the chickpeas are cooked. You can also use rinsed and drained canned chickpeas.

Heat ghee in a medium skillet. Add chopped onions and sauté on medium-high heat until it turns golden brown. Add ginger and garlic. Mix well and cook for another minute.

Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes stirring few times until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.

Add chana masala spice blend and mix well. Add boiled chickpeas and salt to taste.  Add 1/4th cup of water(more or less) to bring the curry to your desired consistency. Occasionally I also add cubed boiled potato to this dish. You can add more spice blend if you are looking for a spicier chana masala, especially if you decide to add the potato. Simmer for 5 minutes and garnish with cilantro.

Serve with steamed basmati rice or paratha!