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Punjabi Chana masala
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5 from 2 votes

Amritsari Pindi Chole | How to make Amritsari Chole | Authentic Punjabi Chana Masala recipe

Amritsari Pindi Chole Masala is one of the most popular North Indian vegetarian curry made with boiled chickpeas and aromatic spices and masalas. This widely famous chole masala is boiled with tea which adds a distinctive colour and flavour to it. It is beast paired with soft Amritsari Kulchas or Bhaturas.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: glutengree, Indian
Keyword: Amritsari Chole, amritsari pindi chole recipe, homemade chole masala powder, punjabi chole masala
Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

  • 250 gms Chickpeas/garbanzo beans/ Kabuli Chana (washed and soaked overnight)
  • 1 Black Tea bag (or 1 tsp tealeaves tied in a muslin cloth)
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 2 inch Cinnamon
  • 2 Black cardamons
  • 3-4 Green Cardamom
  • 4-5 Cloves
  • Salt as per taste

Homemade Chole Masala Powder

  • 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder (adjust as per taste)
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin Powder
  • 1 tsp Coriander Powder
  • 1 tsp Aamchur Powder (Dried Raw Mango powder)
  • 1 tsp Amardana Powder (dried pomegranate powder)
  • 1/2 tsp Garam masala
  • 1 tsp Fennel powder
  • 1/2 tsp Hing/Asafoetida
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • Salt as per taste

For the Chole curry

  • 2 medium Onions paste
  • 2 large Tomatoes paste
  • 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic Paste
  • 2-3 Green Chillies chopped
  • handful Coriander leaves chopped
  • 3-4 tbsp Oil (veg/sunflower)

Final Tempering

  • 1/2 inch Ginger cut into juveniles
  • 2-3 Green chillies slit
  • 1 tbsp oil

Instructions

  • In a pressure cooker add the soaked chickpeas, tea bag, bay leaves, cinnamon, black and green cardamoms, cloves, little salt and enough water and pressure cook for 3 - 4 whistles (mine was cooked in 3 whistles).
  • Mean while mix all the ingredients under homemade chole masala powder in a bowl and keep it aside. (Just be careful with the amount of salt you add in the masala powder, as you have already added a little salt to the chickpeas).
    ** check notes
  • After 3 whistles check for the doneness of the chickpeas/chana.
  • Now discard the tea bag and drain the chick peas. Do not discard the water as it has a lot of flavour in it. 
  • 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.
  • Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for few mins or until the raw smell disappears.
  • Now pour in the tomato paste and chopped green chilies and fry for 3-4 minutes. You will slowly start to see oil seeping through the onion-tomato masala.
  • Now add in the prepared homemade chole masala and mix everything well. add 1/4th cup of flavoured water to it and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the drained chickpeas and mix it well with the masala. Chana/chickpeas should be well coated with the aromatic masala.
  • Then add the 1 1/2 cup of the drained flavoured water to the chickpeas. Give a good stir to mix everything well. Now cover and cook for 6-7 mins on medium to low heat stirring occasionally. 
  • You can adjust the consistency of the chole masala as per your liking. Just remember it dries up quite a lot when it cools down so don't make it very dry. 
    Amritsari Pindi Chole
  • Finally in a small pan heat up a tbsp of oil and add ginger juveniles and green chilies and fry for few seconds. Pour it over the ready chole masala and give a good stir.
  • Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves and serve it with kulchas, puri, roti or rice.
    Punjabi Chana masala

Notes

** if you are using readymade store bought chole masala simply add 2 1/2 tbsp of chole masala to the curry.