Punjabi
Amritsari Chhole
- Duration: 30 minutes
- Serves: 4 people
-
Spice Level: Low
Authenticity Slice
In traditional households, homemakers boil the soaked kabuli chana with a teaspoon of tea leaves to achieve the impressive dark colour of the Chhole. Imli (tamarind) also adds colour to the dish, apart from lending tanginess to the dish.
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Trivia Tadka
Experts believe the secret to making the perfect Punjabi Chhole lies in its Chhole masala. According to folklore, mothers-in-law in the olden days would guard the secret family recipe of this dish from her daughter-in-law till the latter earned her confidence.
Ingredients
- White chickpeas (Kabuli chana), washed and soaked overnight (1 cup chana soaked in about 2 cups of water)
- Ginger (Adrak), sliced thinly (1 inch piece)
- Garlic (Lahsun), chopped (10 pods)
- Green chilli (Hari mirch), slit vertically (1)
- Tea leaves (Chai patti) (1 tsp)
- Onion, chopped (2)
- Tomato, chopped (2)
- MTR Dhaniya Coriander Powder (1 tsp)
- MTR Haldi Turmeric Powder (½ tsp)
- MTR Garam Masala (1 tsp)
- Pomegranate (Anardana) seeds (1 tsp)
- MTR Jeera Powder (1 tsp)
- Dry mango powder (Amchur) (1 tsp)
- MTR Lal Mirch Chilli Powder (½ tsp)
- Imli (tamarind), soaked in water (1 tbsp)
- Salt (to taste)
- Ghee (2 tbsp)
Method
- Drain the soaked chana and wash under cold running water.
- Place in a pressure cooker with enough water to cover the chana. Season with salt.
- Add the chai patti, tied tightly in a muslin cloth, and pressure cook through 3 whistles on high flame. Lower the flame and continue to cook for another 3 whistles.
- Take off the flame and let the steam release on its own.
- Heat ghee in a kadhai and sauté the onion and lahsun till it turns golden brown.
- Add the dhaniya, lal mirch, and haldi powder and cook for another minute.
- Lower the flame and add the jeera powder, anardana, amchur, and garam masala.
- Cook for 2 minutes and then add tomatoes. Keep stirring till the tomatoes turn pulpy and the ghee starts to separate from the mixture.
- Add the chana to the gravy and mix well.
- Pour about half a cup of hot water into the gravy and simmer the chana till the gravy thickens and the flavours blend in.
- Just before serving, squeeze the soaked imli to extract the pulp and add the pulp to the dish for that extra tanginess.
- Serve the chana hot, garnished with slit hari mirch and adrak slivers, along with bhature or parathas.
