Chole, a popular Punjabi dish, has deep roots in North Indian cuisine. It has been a staple in Punjabi households for generations. This dish, made from chickpeas, reflects the rich and robust flavours of Punjabi cooking, which I absolutely adore.
I love making Punjabi-style Chole because it’s a hearty and flavourful dish. It’s made with chickpeas cooked in a spicy, tangy gravy with onions, tomatoes, and a blend of aromatic spices. The addition of ginger, garlic, and fresh coriander leaves makes it even more delicious.
For the best experience, I recommend serving Chole with fluffy bhature, naan, or steamed rice. Adding a side of sliced onions, lemon wedges, and some pickles enhances the flavors even more. This combination creates a perfect, satisfying meal for any occasion.
Ingredients
For cooking onions and tomato gravy
- ½ cup chopped onions or 1 medium sized onion
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes or 1 medium sized tomato
- ½ teaspoon ginger paste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
- ½ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
- 2 tablespoons Ghee (clarified butter) or oil or butter
- 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
- 1 cup dried white chickpeas (white chana) – soaked overnight in enough water
Cooking Instructions
Preparation
- Soak 2 cups of raw chickpeas overnight in water. They will expand to about 5 cups. Drain the soaked chickpeas.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot. Add 2 cloves and chopped onions. Cook until onions are light golden brown, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes.
- Stir in tomato puree, cover, and cook for 15 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
Cooking Chole (Punjabi Style)
- Transfer drained chickpeas to a pressure cooker. Add bay leaves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, 2 black tea bags (for colour), 5 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Put Pressure cook on heat for 1 to 2 whistles, then simmer for 10 minutes. For Instant Pot, cook on heat for 20 minutes, then release naturally.
- Remove tea bags and bay leaves. Set chickpeas aside.
- Add spices (chole masala, red chili powder, paprika, cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt) to the onion-tomato mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Combine boiled chickpeas (with water) with the masala. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and simmer on medium-low for 30 minutes, occasionally mashing chickpeas.
- Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan. Fry ginger juliennes until golden, then add to chole.
- Add garam masala, kasuri methi, and cilantro. Serve hot with rice, or with roti.