Amritsari Chole

Chole or chickpeas are most commonly used in North India. So many mouth watering dishes based on chole or chickpeas like Chole Masala, Amritsari Chole, Pindi Chole, Chole chawal etc. originated from northern India and its neighbouring countries. Here I am going to share the recipe for Amritsari Chole. As a huge fan of punjabi cuisine, I almost tried to portray the taste of Amritsar's gali wali Chole taste in this beautiful recipe. This Amritsari Chole is a combination of lots of spices. You can smell the aroma of spices all over your home when you are cooking the dish. As the chole are good sources of protein and whole spices boost our digestion, so it's a healthy recipe. You can boil the chickpeas in a dish or you can pressure cook it. Soaking the chickpeas or chole overnight and adding baking soda while boiling the chole results in a very soft mouth melting boiled chole. I am adding tea and spice potli while boiling the chole, which adds lots of flavor. You can enjoy this Amritsari Chole with bhature, pooris, naan, paratha or simply with rice. You can enjoy the festivals or special occasions with this very special recipe. Those who want to impress their families and friends must try out this Amritsari Chole.

Ingredients:

For chole:

1 cup chole/chickpea overnight soaked in water

3 cups water

2 tsp tea leaves

2 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

3 cloves

2 green cardamom

5-6 black pepper

1/2 tsp baking soda

salt as per taste

For gravy:

Mustard oil

1-2 tbsp ghee

2 medium onions chopped

2 medium tomatoes chopped

1 black cardamom

1 dried red chillies

1/4 tsp hing

1 tsp ajwain/carom seeds

1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds

1 tsp sahi jeera/caraway seeds

1/2 tbsp ginger crushed

1 tbsp garlic crushed

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 tbsp pomegranate seeds crushed

salt as per taste

2 green chillies

coriander leaves

Method:

First of all we have to make a tea bag or potli to boil with the chole. It will give the chole a nice colour and adds a nice flavour to chole.

To make the potli take a muslin cloth. Put 2 tsp tea leaves, 2 bay leaves, 5-6 black pepper, 1 cinnamon stick, 3-4 cloves, 2 green cardamom in the middle and make a poli or pouch. Tie it properly.

In a pressure cooker, add overnight soaked chole, tea potli, salt and baking soda. Add 3 cups of water. Pressure cook it in medium flame.

After 3-4 whistles, off the flame. Transfer the chole with the water to a bowl. Keep it aside.Don't throw away the water. This water is full of flavours, which will play a key role in the recipe.

In a kadai heat oil. Let it come to it's smoking point. Add hing, ajwain, jeera, sahi jeera, red chillies, black cardamom, bay leaves.

Add crushed ginger and garlic. Saute it for 2 minute. Add chopped onions. Saute onions on low-medium flame until the onions cooked properly or turn translucent.

Now add Turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder. Saute it for 2-3 minutes on low-medium flame.

Add chopped tomatoes. Put little bit salt. Cover the kadai and cook it on low-medium flame until the tomatoes turn soft.

Add 1 tsp garam masala powder. Stire for another 3 minutes. Now add the chole with the chole water. Let it cover and cook in low flame for 15 minutes.

Add crushed promogenent. Boil it for another 5 minutes. Make the gravy thick. Now off the flame. Fry the green chillies in ghee. Add green chillies with the ghee to the gravy. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with Bhature, Naan or Rice.