Chole Recipe (ChickPeas)

Name: Punjabi Chole Recipe | Easy Chana Masala Recipe | Chickpea Masala Recipe | Chana Curry | Chana Masala Curry
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 510 min
Ingredients: 200 g Chickpeas (Chole); 2 pieces Tomato; 400 ml Water; 2 teaspoon Salt; ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder; 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder; 2 teaspoon Coriander Powder; 1 teaspoon Chana Masala; 5-6 pieces Whole Black Pepper (Sabut Kali Mirch); 5-6 pieces Cloves (Laung); 1 stick Cinnamon (Dalchini); 2 leaves Bay Leaves (Tej Patta); ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida (Heeng); 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds (Sabut Jeera); 2 pieces Green Chillies, chopped; ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper Powder; ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala (Optional); ¼ teaspoon White Pepper Powder; ½ teaspoon Amla Powder; ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda; ½ teaspoon Black Salt (Kala Namak); 2 tablespoon Oil or Ghee; 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice; 1 tablespoon Tamarind Sauce (imli ki chutney); 1 teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder; ½ teaspoon Dried Kasuri Methi, crushed; 1 tablespoon Fresh Coriander and Mint Leaves, chopped; 1 teaspoon Ginger Julians

Punjabi Chole Recipe | Easy Chana Masala Recipe | Chickpea Masala Recipe | Chana Curry | Chana Masala Curry

Chole is a North-Indian recipe which is very easy to make. Every household has their own way of making it. Spicy and tempting curry is prepared from tomatoes and basic Indian spices. Chole can be best enjoyed with bhature, kulche, puri, naan, roti or rice. Chole is a dish which can be prepared in our daily meals or on any occasion/party/festival. Loaded with proteins and fibres, chole can be eaten in breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can also enjoy it with aloo tikki.

The unique selling point(usp) of my recipe is amla powder which not only enhances the taste but also adds nutritious value to it.

Lets learn how to make this delicious dish at your home with this easy step by step recipe.

Soaking Time:

8 Hours

Preparation Time:

5 Minutes

Cooking Time:

25 Minutes

Ingredients (Servings - 4 people)

Chickpeas (Chole) – 200g
Tomato – 2 pieces of medium size
Water – 400 ml
Salt – 2 teaspoon (1 teaspoon each for soaking and preparing chole)
Turmeric Powder– ¼ teaspoon
Red Chilli Powder – 1 teaspoon
Coriander Powder – 2 teaspoon
Chana Masala – 1 teaspoon
Whole Black Pepper (Sabut Kali Mirch) – 5-6 pieces
Cloves (Laung) – 5-6 pieces
Cinnamon (Dalchini) – 1 small stick
Bay Leaves (Tej Patta) – 2 leaves
Asafoetida (Hing) – ¼ teaspoon
Cumin Seeds (Sabut Jeera) – 1 teaspoon
Green Chillies, chopped – 2 pieces

Black Pepper Powder – ¼ teaspoon
Garam Masala – ¼ teaspoon (Optional)
White Pepper Powder – ¼ teaspoon
Amla Powder – ½ teaspoon or Tea Bag – 1 pc
Baking Soda – ¼ teaspoon
Black Salt (Kala Namak) – ½ teaspoon
Oil or Ghee – 2 tablespoon
Lemon Juice – 1 teaspoon
Tamarind Sauce (imli ki chutney) – 1 tablespoon (Optional)
Roasted Cumin Powder – 1 teaspoon
Dried Kasuri Methi, crushed – ½ teaspoon
Fresh Coriander and Mint Leaves, chopped – 1 tablespoon, for garnishing
Ginger Julians – 1 teaspoon, for garnishing

How to make Chole

Soak & Wash the Chole

Soak the chole in water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to it.
Leave it overnight or for 8 hours.
Before cooking, wash it three to four times with clean water.

Boil the Chole

Now, add the soaked chole to a cooker and put one and a half glass water to it.
Add salt, turmeric powder, bay leaves, chana masala, black pepper whole, laung, dalchini, tea bag/amla powder, baking soda in the cooker.
Close the lid of the cooker and take 1 whistle on high flame.
After taking 1 whistle, lower the flame. Let it cook for 5-7 minutes.
Now, on high flame, take 3 whistles.
Check if the chole is perfectly cooked. Keep the cooked chole aside.
Even if the chole are uncooked, keep them aside. We’ll be taking more whistles after adding the gravy.
Do not throw the water of chole.

To Prepare Tomato Puree

To prepare tomato puree, grind the tomatoes in a mixer to make a smooth paste without adding any water.

To Prepare Chole Gravy

Take a pan and add ghee or oil to it.
Once the oil/ghee becomes hot, add cumin seeds & hing.
Once the cumin seeds crackle, add green chillies and grated ginger. Saute them.
Now add red chilli powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder, white pepper powder, black salt, roasted cumin powder.
Mix them gently and cook for 30 seconds on low flame.
Now add tomato puree and cook for a few minutes.
When the puree starts releasing oil/ghee, add kasuri methi.

Pour the prepared gravy in the cooker having chole and mix very well.
Bring it to your desired consistency. If the quantity of water is less then add some more water.
Take 1 whistle on high flame so that the masala mixes well in the chole. Switch off the flame.
Add tamarind sauce(Imli ki chutney) and lemon juice to it for having a sweet-sour taste and mix well.
Garnish with ginger julians, coriander, and mint leaves and serve hot with rice, puri, bhatura, aloo tikki, naan, kulcha.

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Chole Recipe Tips

which add magic to your recipe!!!

Tip 1

You can add tea bags, if you don’t have amla powder.

Tip 2

If you don’t have dry amla powder then you can also use 7- 8 dry amla pieces.

Tip 3

Tea/amla powder is added to give brown color to chole

Tip 4

You should take 1 whistle after mixing chole in gravy so that the gravy gets into the chole properly.

Tip 5

Before preparing the gravy, you can take out all the spices in a bowl so that all the spices will be handy and won’t get burnt while adding the spices one by one.

Tip 6

If you don't have tea bags, you can take loose tea. Boil two teaspoons of tea in half a glass of water for 2-3 minutes. Sieve this water in the cooker while boiling the chole.

Tip 7

Adding amla powder enhances taste and also adds to health benefits as it is a rich source of Vitamin C.

Tip 8

In the absence of fresh mint leaves, you can add mint powder.

Tip 9

If you are adding amla/amla powder in the recipe, make sure to add baking soda along with it. As sour things(that are rich in Vitamin C ) make the cooking process slower so adding baking soda will help chole cook properly and faster.

Tip 10

Take a small-sized chole. It tastes better than the bigger sized chole and also cooks fast.

Tip 11

Once the chole gets ready, you can mesh a few of them within the pan so that the gravy thickens.

Recipe Card

Punjabi Chole Recipe | Easy Chana Masala Recipe | Chickpea Masala Recipe | Chana Curry | Chana Masala Curry

Nisha Mittal

Chole is a North-Indian recipe which is very easy to make. Every household has their own way of making it.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Soaking Time 8 hrs

Total Time 8 hrs 30 mins

Course Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine Indian, Punjabi Food

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

200 g Chickpeas (Chole)
2 pieces Tomato
400 ml Water
2 teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
2 teaspoon Coriander Powder
1 teaspoon Chana Masala
5-6 pieces Whole Black Pepper (Sabut Kali Mirch)
5-6 pieces Cloves (Laung)
1 stick Cinnamon (Dalchini)
2 leaves Bay Leaves (Tej Patta)
¼ teaspoon Asafoetida (Heeng)
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds (Sabut Jeera)
2 pieces Green Chillies, chopped
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
¼ teaspoon Garam Masala (Optional)
¼ teaspoon White Pepper Powder
½ teaspoon Amla Powder
¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
½ teaspoon Black Salt (Kala Namak)
2 tablespoon Oil or Ghee
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon Tamarind Sauce (imli ki chutney)
1 teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder
½ teaspoon Dried Kasuri Methi, crushed
1 tablespoon Fresh Coriander and Mint Leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon Ginger Julians

Instructions

Soaking Chole

Soak the chole in water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to it. Leave it overnight or for 8 hours.
Before cooking, wash it three to four times with clean water.

Boil the Chole

Now, add the soaked chole in a cooker and put one and half glass water to it. Add salt, turmeric powder, bay leaves, chana masala, black pepper whole, laung, dalchini, tea bag/amla powder, baking soda in the cooker.
Close the lid of the cooker and take 1 whistle on high flame. After taking 1 whistle, lower the flame. Let it cook for 5-7 minutes.
Now, on high flame, take 3 whistles. Check if the chole is perfectly cooked. Keep the cooked chole aside.
Even if the chole are uncooked, keep them aside. We’ll be taking more whistles after adding the gravy. Do not throw the water of chole.

To Prepare Tomato Puree

To prepare tomato puree, grind the tomatoes in a mixer to make a smooth paste without adding any water.

To Prepare Chole Gravy

Take a pan and add ghee or oil to it. Once the oil/ghee becomes hot, add cumin seeds & hing. Once the cumin seeds crackle, add green chilllies and grated ginger. Saute them.
Now add red chilli powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder, white pepper powder, black salt, roasted cumin powder.Mix them gently and cook for 30 seconds on low flame.Now add tomato puree and cook for a few minutes.
When the puree starts releasing oil/ghee, add kasuri methi.Pour the prepared gravy in the cooker having chole and mix very well.
Bring it to your desired consistency. If the quantity of water is less then add some more water.Take 1 whistle on high flame so that the masala mixes well in the chole. Switch off the flame.
Add tamarind sauce(Imli ki chutney) and lemon juice to it for having sweet-sour taste and mix well.Garnish with ginger julians, coriander and mint leaves and serve hot with rice, puri, bhatura, aloo tikki, naan, kulcha.

Keyword Chole Recipe, Punjabi Chole Recipe