Chickpea masala (Channa peshawri)

In a bowl soak the chickpeas with the teabags and two litres (70fl oz) of water. Cover and leave to soak overnight.

Remove the tea bags and boil the chickpeas in the liquid, adding the black cardamom pods, green cardamom pods and bay leaf. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 1-2 hrs, or until the chickpeas are soft and cooked through. Skim off any scum that has formed on the surface, during cooking. Drain the chickpeas and reserve the cooking liquid. Discard the whole spices.

In a pan heat the oil on a medium flame and add the cumin seeds. Once they begin to sizzle add the garlic, ginger and green chilli (if using). Saut for 1 min before adding the onions.

Cook for 5 mins or until they turn golden brown before stirring in the rogan josh paste. If the mixture starts to stick to the pan then add approx 150ml (¼ pint) of the reserved cooking liquid.

After three minutes add the chopped tomatoes and sugar and cook for 5 mins before adding the cooked chickpeas. (If using canned chickpeas, add them here along with some of the tea-infused liquid.)

Add 150ml (¼ pint) of the reserved cooking liquid, cover and cook for a further 10 mins before checking the seasoning. Remove from the heat, stir in the yoghurt and squeeze in some lime juice. Sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve piping hot.