This Pindi chole is a healthy, protein-packed dish, which comes straight out of the heart of Punjab in North India. It is named Pindi Chana after the town where it originated - Rawalpindi (Pakistan) - in the days before the India-Pakistan partition. After that it is popularly known as Amritsari Pindi Chole Masala and paired with Amritsari Naan. In North India, chana masala is called as 'chole masala' or simply 'chole'. Both the words “Chana” and “Chole” refer to chickpeas. Chana are usually replaced by chole in most restaurants, and both versions are widely sold as snack food and street food in the Indian subcontinent.
Here, today I have shared a very simple recipe of Amritsari Chole Masala, in which you don't need any tea-bags and even you don't need to make any tea leaves potli. Just prepare the tea water and its gives the same reaction with baking soda as mentioned below in the steps. For more darker black colour add dried gooseberry (Sukha Amla) while preparing it and skip adding amchur powder. Punjabi cuisine is known for its rich and spicy curries offered as a side dish for flatbreads and it can be perfectly paired with Bhature, Poori, Naan, Kulcha, Katlambe and even with steamed or Jeera Rice.
With this recipe, I would like you to checkout more Indian Curry Recipes like Punjabi Rajma Masala Recipe, Yellow Dal Tadka Recipe, Dal Makhani Recipe, Sarson da Saag Recipe, Methi Matar Malai Recipe and more. You can also checkout more recipes prepared with chickpeas/ Kabuli Chana like Shahi Chole Recipe, Palak Chana Recipe, Dry Chana Masala, Chana Chili Recipe, Chana Chaat Recipe, Palak Chole Tikki etc.
Finally, I would like you to visit and try more related recipes collection like Indian Bread Recipes Collection, Rice Recipes Collection and Snacks & Street food Recipes Collection.
Instructions for how to make Amritsari Pindi Choley at home:
- Firstly, rinse and soak 2 cup chole in enough water for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Next take 1.5 cups of water in a small pan and add 3 tsp tea leaves to it.
- Boil it on medium-high flame until it reduces to half. Then sieve it and tea-water is ready. Keep it aside.
- In a pressure cooker heat 3 tsp oil and splutter 1 tsp cumin seeds. Then add 1 black cardamom, 4 cloves and 1 cinnamon stick. Sauté them on low flame for few seconds.
- Then add 2 finely chopped onion and 1 tsp ginger garlic paste to it.
- Sauté well until the onions turn golden brown.
- Then add tomato puree and salt to it. For tomato puree, take 4 tomatoes and 1 green chili in a grinder jar and blend them to smooth puree.
- Cook until all the water dried up from tomato puree and oil is separated.
- Then add other spices like 2 tsp Chana Masala powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 3/4 tsp dried mango powder and 1/3 tsp turmeric powder.
- Mix them well and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Then add soaked pindi chole to it and mix them well with the prepared masala.
- Add 3 cups of water and bring a boil. Then add boiled tea water and 1/4 tsp baking soda to it.
- Some bubbles will be formed and this reaction of tea water and baking soda gives the same taste to chickpeas which we get from street food chole. Then close the lid and pressure cook them for 6-7 whistles.
- Once the pressure settles down, open the lid and make sure the chana has cooked completely.
- Add crushed Kasuri methi to it and mix well. Add water and boil, if you want more gravy. Otherwise, its just perfect.
- In a small pan heat 2 tsp ghee and add a pinch of Asafoetida. Then add 2 green chilies and ginger julienne.
- Sauté them for couple of minutes on low flame. Turn off the flame and pour the prepared tempering over cooked chana. Also add fresh green coriander.
- Pindi Chole are ready to serve. Enjoy them with Bhature, Poori, Naan, Kulcha, Katlambe and even with steamed or Jeera Rice.
1. Firstly, rinse and soak 2 cup chole in enough water for at least 8 hours or overnight.
2. Next take 1.5 cups of water in a small pan and add 3 tsp tea leaves to it.
3. Boil it on medium-high flame until it reduces to half. Then sieve it and tea-water is ready. Keep it aside.
4. In a pressure cooker heat 3 tsp oil and splutter 1 tsp cumin seeds. Then add 1 black cardamom, 4 cloves and 1 cinnamon stick. Sauté them on low flame for few seconds.
5. Then add 2 finely chopped onion and 1 tsp ginger garlic paste to it.
6. Sauté well until the onions turn golden brown.
7. Then add tomato puree and salt to it. For tomato puree, take 4 tomatoes and 1 green chili in a grinder jar and blend them to smooth puree.
8. Cook until all the water dried up from tomato puree and oil is separated.
9. Then add other spices like 2 tsp Chana Masala powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 3/4 tsp dried mango powder and 1/3 tsp turmeric powder.
10. Mix them well and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
11. Then add soaked pindi chole to it and mix them well with the prepared masala.
12. Add 3 cups of water and bring a boil. Then add boiled tea water and 1/4 tsp baking soda to it.
13. Some bubbles will be formed and this reaction of tea water and baking soda gives the same taste to chickpeas which we get from street food chole.
14. Then close the lid and pressure cook them for 6-7 whistles.
15. Once the pressure settles down, open the lid and make sure the chana has cooked completely.
16. Add crushed Kasuri methi to it and mix well. Add water and boil, if you want more gravy. Otherwise, its just perfect.
17. In a small pan heat 2 tsp ghee and add a pinch of Asafoetida. Then add 2 green chilies and ginger julienne.
18. Sauté them for couple of minutes on low flame. Turn off the flame and pour the prepared tempering over cooked chana. Also add fresh green coriander.
19. Pindi Chole are ready to serve. Enjoy them with Bhature, Poori, Naan, Kulcha, Katlambe and even with steamed or Jeera Rice.
Tips:
- The spices can be adjusted as per your preferences.
- This recipe can be doubled or tripled.
- Pindi chole thickens once cooled, so adjust the consistency by adding water as required.
AuthorNidhi kakkarIngredients
Directions
1. Firstly, rinse and soak 2 cup chole in enough water for at least 8 hours or overnight.
2. Next take 1.5 cups of water in a small pan and add 3 tsp tea leaves to it.
3. Boil it on medium-high flame until it reduces to half. Then sieve it and tea-water is ready. Keep it aside.
4. In a pressure cooker heat 3 tsp oil and splutter 1 tsp cumin seeds. Then add 1 black cardamom, 4 cloves and 1 cinnamon stick. Sauté them on low flame for few seconds.
5. Then add 2 finely chopped onion and 1 tsp ginger garlic paste to it.
6. Sauté well until the onions turn golden brown.
7. Then add tomato puree and salt to it. For tomato puree, take 4 tomatoes and 1 green chili in a grinder jar and blend them to smooth puree.
8. Cook until all the water dried up from tomato puree and oil is separated.
9. Then add other spices like 2 tsp Chana Masala powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 3/4 tsp dried mango powder and 1/3 tsp turmeric powder.
10. Mix them well and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
11. Then add soaked pindi chole to it and mix them well with the prepared masala.
12. Add 3 cups of water and bring a boil. Then add boiled tea water and 1/4 tsp baking soda to it.
13. Some bubbles will be formed and this reaction of tea water and baking soda gives the same taste to chickpeas which we get from street food chole.
14. Then close the lid and pressure cook them for 6-7 whistles.
15. Once the pressure settles down, open the lid and make sure the chana has cooked completely.
16. Add crushed Kasuri methi to it and mix well. Add water and boil, if you want more gravy. Otherwise, its just perfect.
17. In a small pan heat 2 tsp ghee and add a pinch of Asafoetida. Then add 2 green chilies and ginger julienne.
18. Sauté them for couple of minutes on low flame. Turn off the flame and pour the prepared tempering over cooked chana. Also add fresh green coriander.
19. Pindi Chole are ready to serve. Enjoy them with Bhature, Poori, Naan, Kulcha, Katlambe and even with steamed or Jeera Rice.
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