Punjabi Chole

Punjabi Chole

A very popular dish in Punjabi cuisine. Delicious with batura / puri / rotis !!!!

Serves: 3 – 4

Ingredients

For chole (channa):

1 cup (200 ml / 8 oz – Indian standard measuring cup) chole (white chick peas)

2 ½ cups water (500 ml)

3 tea bags

2 cinnamon sticks

3 cloves

3 cardamom

Method

Wash and soak Kabuli channa / white channa for 6-8 hours (or overnight) in 2 1/2 cups water (500 ml). Add  cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and gently keep tea bags ( to get black color for chole - optional) and pressure cook (pressure cook along with soaked water – Final water level should be 1 – inch above chole / channa / chickpeas) for 30 minutes ( reduce heat from high to medium after 3rd whistle and cook for 25 minutes ). Allow to cool naturally. Open the lid and remove tea bags, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Reserve ½ cup (75 – 100 ml) stock for later use.

For the masala (spice paste):

1 onion (medium size), roughly chopped (adding onion will make a creamy and thick gravy)

6 cloves garlic, chopped

½ - inch piece ginger, chopped

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

2 pinches clove powder

2 pinches nut meg powder

2 pinches cinnamon powder

Transfer all the ingredients into a small mixer bowl and make a smooth paste. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon water when making the paste. Keep aside.

Other ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

Spice paste

1 tomato, pick well ripe (1 big size or 2 small size), finely chopped

Boiled chole

3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1/4 teaspoon amchur powder (dried mango powder)

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder (jeera powder)

Extra 50 ml (1/4 cup) water

Extra salt to taste

2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Heat oil in a wide pan on a medium heat. Add spice paste (masala) and fry for 3 – 4 minutes on a medium to low heat until the raw smell goes and thickens (stir continuously).

Add chopped tomato (along with the juice) and stir well for 5 - 7 minutes until it's well blended and a smooth paste like consistency. 

Add boiled chole (along with the stock - may be ½ cup (75 – 100 ml), salt to taste, amchur powder, cumin powder, add extra ¼ cup (50 ml – extra water, adding water should not be more than 100 ml / ½ cup. It won’t be delicious if the gravy is too thin)). Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for  15 minutes until the gravy thickens / well coated on chole. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves, decorate with onion rings / lemon wedges when serving with batura / puri / rotis.