Punjabi Chole Recipe, How to make chole | Chole recipe

Punjabi chole recipe

Punjabi chole recipe is spicy and most delectable curry in Punjabi or North Indian cuisine  popular all over India.  It is made from chickpeas and in some places, they are also known as chana masala or kabuli chana masala.

This Punjabi chole recipe is not only delicious but also healthy. It can also be a very good recipe for increasing protein intake in diet for kids because chickpeas are rich in protein. Kids usually like this recipe a lot that’s why these chole masala are made in Indian kitchen innumerable times.

To make this Punjabi chole recipe , you will need anardana powder (dry pomegranate seed powder) or Amchur powder (Dry mango powder) . They are available in any Indian groceries store. It will give tangy flavour to chole and is the main ingredient in Punjabi chole recipe. If possible do not skip them. If both ingredients are not available, you may add lime juice in the last in preparing this chole masala recipe. Since I have not added any dairy ingredient in this recipe, It can also be called vegan chana masala.

Next thing I would like to mention is about the black colour of chickpeas. If you want your chickpeas to be black, you may use teabags while boiling the chickpeas.

The another method is to dry roast the whole spice till they get dark brown in colour and grind them in a mixer then use in the curry. This will also gives a dark colour to the chole.

I am not too fussy about the black colour of chole. For boiling chickpeas, I use pressure cooker. I just add the chickpeas in the pressure cooker and add the water with some salt and cook about 7-8 whistles so that they get tender ( I don’t need them to be mushy).

For masala, I never use store bought chana masala as I believe nothing is better than home made instead I prepare it on my own by using combination of whole spices and powder spices. This is what I learnt from my mother.

If you follow all the steps correctly you will get exact taste of chole masala which you get in street or in restaurant. I love to have these chole masala with bhatoore , however they can be served with naan, paratha, pulao rice or even plain rice.

There are some other punjabi recipes also available on this blog that you may like, Palak Saag Recipe, Kadai Paneer Recipe in Restaurant Style, Dal Makhani Recipe , Khoya Matar Paneer Recipe

Ingredients

For pressure cooking

1 cup- Dry chickpeas or kabuli chana or chole
1 tsp – salt
2 ½ cups- water

For Gravy

2 tablespoons – Oil
1 – medium red onion, finely chopped
3 medium cloves – Garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon – Ginger paste
½ teaspoon – Cumin seeds
1 cup – tomato puree
1½  teaspoon – Red chili powder
½ teaspoon – Garam masala
1 teaspoon – Coriander powder
¼ teaspoon – Turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon – Cumin powder
1 teaspoon – Anardana powder (dried pomegranate seeds powder) or amchur powder (dry mango powder)or lime juice
Salt – to taste
1 cup – Water
Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoons, finely chopped(optional)
Mint leaves for garnish

For whole spices

4 – Peppercorns
2 – Cloves
1 – Aniseed
2 – Bay leaves
2 – black cardamoms
1 inch cinnamon

Step by step Punjabi chole recipe

Step 1. First rinse and soak the chole (chickpeas) in enough water for 6-8 hours or overnight. Add the double quantity of water to the chickpeas as they will become double in size after soaking.

Add soaked chickpeas to the pressure cooker, add salt and water. Note – You may use soda bicarbonate to soften more. But I skip it. Pressure cook chole for about 7-8 whistle.

Step 2. Place a  over medium heat and add oil to get hot. Once the oil is hot enough add cumin seeds and let them crackle. Add chopped garlic and ginger paste. Saute for a min till the raw aroma disappears. Add whole spices and saute for 2 min.

Step 3. Add chopped onion and saute again for 4-5 min. Add half of the salt now so that onion cook faster.

Step 4. Once onion gets caramelized means red brown in color. Add tomato puree and cook for 3 min. Now add turmeric powder, garam masala, red chili powder, coriander powder, anardana powder and cumin powder. Saute for 4-5 minutes on low heat.

Note– Be patient at this time because slowly the masala is cooked better will be the curry.

Step 5. Saute masala till it releases oil on the edges. Now add the chole (chickpeas) to prepared masala. Mix it well.

Step 6. Add the water. Let it boil for 5 min so that aroma of spices get infused in chickpeas. Then slow the heat and simmer for at least 10 min with the covered lid. After 10 minutes, you can the check the consistency and adjust it accordingly. In last, garnish with coriander leaves and mint leaves.

Hot and spicy Punjabi chole recipe is ready to serve with bhatoore or naan or rice.

Recipe card – Punjabi chole recipe

5 from 4 votes

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Punjabi chole recipe, Chole masala | Chana masala

Prep Time

7 hrs

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

7 hrs 40 mins

 

Punjabi chole recipe is spicy and most delectable curry in Punjabi or North Indian cuisine popular all over India. It is made from chickpeas and in some places, they are also known as chana masala or kabuli chana masala.

Course: Mains

Cuisine: North Indian, Punjabi

Servings: 3 -4

Author: Rachna's Kitchen

Ingredients

• For pressure cooking
• 1 cup- Dry chickpeas or kabuli chana or chole
• 1 tsp - salt
• 2 ½ cups water
• For Gravy
• 2 tablespoons - Oil
• 1 - medium red onion finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon- Garlic paste
• ½ teaspoon-Ginger paste
• ½ teaspoon-Cumin seeds
• 1 cup - tomato puree
• 1½ teaspoon-Red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon-Garam masala
• 1 teaspoon - Coriander powder
• ¼ teaspoon-Turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon-Cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon - Anardana powder dried pomegranate seeds powder or amchur powder (dry mango powder)or lime juice
• Salt - to taste
• 1 cup - Water
• Coriander leaves-1 tablespoons finely chopped(optional)
• Mint leaves for garnish
• For whole spices
• 4- Peppercorns
• 2 - Cloves
• 1 - Aniseed
• 2 - Bay leaves
• 2 - black cardamoms
• 1 inch cinnamon

Instructions

1. First rinse and soak the chole (chickpeas) in enough water for 6-8 hours or overnight.
2. Add the double quantity of water to the chickpeas as they will become double in size after soaking.
3. Add soaked chickpeas to the pressure cooker, add salt and water.
4. Pressure cook chole for about 7-8 whistle.
5. Place a over medium heat and add oil to get hot.
6. Once the oil is hot enough add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
7. Add chopped garlic, ginger paste and garlic paste.
8. Saute for a min till the raw aroma disappears.
9. Add whole spices and saute for 2 min.
10. Add chopped onion and saute again for 4-5 min.
11. Add half of the salt now so that onion cook fast.
12. Once onion gets caramelized means red brown in color.
13. Add tomato puree and cook for 3 min.
14. Now add turmeric powder, garam masala, red chili powder, coriander powder, anardana powder and cumin powder.
15. Saute for 4-5 minutes on low heat.
16. Saute masala till it releases oil on the edges.
17. Now add the chole (chickpeas) to prepared masala. Mix it well.
18. Add the water.
19. Let it boil for 5 min so that aroma of spices get infused in chickpeas.
20. Then slow the heat and simmer for at least 10 min with the covered lid.
21. After 10 minutes, you can the check the consistency and adjust it accordingly.
22. Hot and spicy Punjabi chole recipe is ready to serve with bhatoore or naan or rice.

Recipe Notes

You may use canned chickpeas to make this Punjabi chole recipe.

If you forget to soak the chickpeas, don't worry, there is an quick method of soaking Heat water in a saucepan, add chickpeas and ½ tsp of soda bicarbonate. Boil it rapidly for 5 minutes. Switch off the flame and let it rest for next 1 to 1½ hours with the lid covered tightly. This allows chickpeas to double in size and chana are ready to use.

I like combination of whole spices and powdered spices in my chole curry but if you don't like whole spices in your curry, you may dry roast the whole spices and grind into fine powder and then use in curry. This method also gives a nice spicy flavour to the Punjabi chole curry.

If you want to thicken gravy of the curry, you may mash some chickpeas.

If you are looking for north Indian recipes, you may like these

1. Palak paneer

2. Chana masala

3. Paneer butter  masala