AMRITSARI PINDI CHOLE MASALA | AUTHENTIC PUNJABI CHANA MASALA RECIPE

The classic Amritsari Pindi Chole is a delight to your taste buds; chickpeas is considered a backbone for northern Indian cooking. If you enjoy Indian food and drool over Pakoras, Kadi, Dhoklas, chana or namkeens you have been enchanted by the magic of Chickpeas.

Notice the dark rich colour? It comes from cooking the chickpeas with black tea leaves which lends this beautiful hue to the chickpeas. But if you don’t have a tea bag simply add a teaspoon of black tea in a muslin cloth, tie it into a potli and add it to the chickpeas/ kabuli chana. Gravy is made with onion-tomato paste and flavoured with the homemade chana masala and few fragrant spices.

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INGREDIENTS FOR PINDI CHOLE –

• 2 cups dried chickpeas soaked in water
• 2 teabags
• 1/4 tsp baking soda optional

Spices To Pressure Cook With Chickpeas –

• 2 black cardamom
• 4 green cardamom
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cloves
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp salt

Spice Powders For Chole Masala –

• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp pomegranate powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp dry mango powder
• 1 tsp dry fenugreek powder
• 1/2 tsp rock salt
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida

For Making Paste –

• 1 onion made into paste
• 2 tomatoes or canned tomato sauce
• 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 3 tbsp oil

For Tempering –

• 3 green chillies
• 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 tsp red chilly powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder

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INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE AMRITSARI PINDI CHOLE –

Pressure Cook Chickpeas –

1. Soak the dried chickpeas overnight or for about 8 to 10 hours
2. In a pressure cooker , add the chickpeas, tea bags, salt, baking soda and the spices mentioned under Spices to Pressure Cook With Chickpeas.
3. Add enough water to soak the chickpeas and pressure cook for about 5 to 6 whistles.
4. Save the water from the cooked chickpeas for the gravy.

Prepare the Gravy –

1. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan on medium heat. When hot add the onion paste and sauté for 4-5 mins until it golden in colour.
2. Next add the ginger garlic paste and keep stirring till the raw smell goes away.
3. Now pour in the tomato paste and chopped green chilies and fry for 3-4 minutes.
4. You will slowly start to see oil seeping through the onion-tomato masala.
5. Add the spice powders mentioned under “Chole Masala” and mix well.
6. Add the drained chickpeas and mix it well with the masala. Chana/chickpeas should be well coated with the aromatic masala.
7. Then add the 1 1/2 cup of the drained flavoured water to the chickpeas. Give a good stir to mix everything well.
8. Now cover and cook for 6-7 mins on medium to low heat stirring occasionally.
9. Mash the chickpeas well till you get a thick gravy.
10. You can adjust the consistency of the chole masala as per your liking. 
11. Just remember it dries up quite a lot when it cools down so do not make it very dry.

 Tempering

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil
2. Add the chopped garlic and slit green chillies and fry till browned
3. Add the red chilli powder and cumin powder and switch off flame
4. Pour it over the ready chole masala and give a good stir. 

Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves and serve Chole Masala with Kulcha, puri, roti or rice.

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