Family Style Food

Yield: A half pound of dried chickpeas = 4 cups cooked
0 Spread the chickpeas out on rimmed tray or large plate. Sort through them, discarding any debris or stones, along with any that are broken or discolored.
1 Put the chickpeas in a large bowl or pot and cover with fresh water by 2-3 inches (keep in mind that the chickpeas will soak up the water an expand dramatically). Soak at room temperature 4 hours, or up to overnight. Drain in a colander.
Stovetop cooking method 
2 Put the chickpeas in a large pot such as a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan. Cover with four quarts of fresh water. Add 1 teaspoon salt, the garlic, bay leaf and dried chilies, if using. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then lower the temperature. Simmer the chickpeas 1-2 hours (the cooking time will depend on the age of your chickpeas), until they're uniformly plump and tender to the bite. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface. 
6 If you want to keep some of the cooking water, drain the chickpeas in a colander set over a bowl. 
Pressure cooker method
5 Put the chickpeas in your electric pressure cooker pot. Add 1 teaspoon salt, garlic, bay leaf and dried chili (if using). Cover with water by 2 inches. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally. Refer to the instructions that came with your cooker for the best results.
Pressure cooker method (unsoaked)
8 Put the chickpeas in your electric pressure cooker pot. Add 1 teaspoon salt, garlic, bay leaf and dried chili (if using). Cover with water by 2 inches and cook on high pressure for 40-45 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally. Refer to the instructions that came with your cooker for the best results.
10 After the chickpeas are cooked, pick out and remove the garlic, chili peppers and bay leaf and discard.