For the chole masala, first heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the cumin seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the onion, ginger, garlic, and chilis, and season with kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened, about 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Strain the tomatoes and reserve the juices. Coarsely chop the tomatoes into 1-inch pieces; set aside.
When the onions have softened, add the garam masala, coriander, measured salt, and turmeric to the frying pan and stir to coat the onion mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the chopped tomatoes and reserved juices, the chickpeas, and the water. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 20 minutes.

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled, finely chopped
4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 serrano chilis, stemmed and finely chopped
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes and juice
2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup water