CHOle – Authentic Punjabi Chickpea Curry

Chole is one of the most common and favourite Punjabi dishes. Chole is slow cooked chickpea curry in  lots of spices to make a creamy, rich curry which is served with Kulcha, Tandoori roti or Batura. Chole is usually served with Khatta pyaaz or the pickled onions.

Though every household has it’s own way of making chole, they are all more or less the same. The authentic chole is usually black in colour and not red. This black colour is achieved by using Amla or dried Gooseberries. But tea leaves which are easily available can also be used to give this rich, dark brown colour to the curry. Chole and Paneer Matar are our favourite curries.

Ingredients

To Boil
250 grams Chole (Chickpeas)
1 teabag ( this is used to give the black colour) or Amla 1 ( If you can find it then use it instead of tea bag, this has great nutrients and will give the dark colour as well)
2  – Kali Ilaichi (black Cardamom)
1 tsp – Salt

For the Paste

2 – Tomatoes

1 inch – Cinnamon

2 – cloves

1 – Cardamom

5 – Walnuts or Cashews

For the curry

2 tbsp – Oil

1 inch – Cinnamon

1 – Bay Leaf

2 – Cloves

1 – Elaichi (Cardamom)

1 Tsp – Cumin seeds

1 Tbsp – Ginger, garlic, green chilly paste

1 no -Onion (finely chopped)

1 – Tomatoe (finely chopped)

2 Tbs – Kasuri Methi

1tsp – Haldi

1 tsp – Red chilly powder

1 tsp – Roasted cumin powder

1 Tbsp – Butter

Salt to taste

juice of half a lemon

1 Tbsp – Sugar

2-3 Tbsp – Green Corriander (finely chopped)

Julliened ginger to garnish

Method

Soak Chole (Chickpeas) overnight along with a tea bag.

I use a tea infuser for this. I add tea leaves inside the infuser and drop it in the bowl in which the chickpeas are soaking.

In a pressure cooker add Chole, tea bag, salt and Black Elaichi and add lots of water and boil for 10 minutes in the pressure cooker .

DO NOT OVERCOOK .

If you overcook Chole it will end up like a starchy paste. At this point the chole should be still hard but cooked. It should break into two and not mash. Discard the teabag.

Make a smooth paste of the ingredients listed under paste.

In a heavy bottom pan heat the oil. I use a cast iron pan, which is not only good for health but also helps enhance the dark colour of the curry.

Add jeera, cinnamon, bay leaf, clove, cardamom and let it brown.

Add ginger, garlic chilly paste. Saute for a minute

Add finely chopped onions to this and let it turn slightly brown. I cook most part of this curry on high flame.

Add chopped tomatoes and kasuri methi and fry till the tomatoes cook well.

Add haldi, red chilly powder, cumin powder and salt and cook till the oil seperates.

Add the tomato walnut paste and cook till the oil seperates.

Add most of the boiled chickpeas along with the water keeping just a handful of chickpeas aside.

Mash these chickpeas and add it to the curry. This will ensure the curry is thick and creamy.

Boil till the curry is thick and creamy.

Add a Tbsp of butter to this.

Add lemon juice and sugar and give it a mix.

Once the curry is done add julienned ginger and chopped coriander and serve it hot with the bread of your choice.