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5 from 4 votes
punjabi chole recipe
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
  • 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.