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14 Steps

Chana Masala (Punjabi Chole)2 servings

  1. Cooked Chickpeas · Step 1 of 3

    Rinse ½ cup dried chickpeas (kabuli chana) well at least three times. Cover with 3 to 4 cups water, for soaking and soak overnight, at least 8 h. Drain and rinse.

    chickpeas doubled in size

  2. Cooked Chickpeas · Step 2 of 3

    Put the chickpeas in a pressure cooker with 1 cup water, for cooking, ½ black tea bags, ½ pod black cardamom pod, 2 pods green cardamom pods, ½ cinnamon stick (2.5 cm piece), 1 whole clove and ¼ leaf small bay leaf, fresh. Cook over medium heat for five or six whistles, or 16 min at high pressure in an Instant Pot.

  3. Cooked Chickpeas · Step 3 of 3

    When the pressure has dropped, open the lid and discard the tea bag, cinnamon and bay leaf. Keep the cooking liquid.

    a chickpea squashes to a paste when pressed

    if they are at all firm, cook one or two more whistles

  4. Chole Masala Powder · Step 1 of 2

    While the chickpeas cook, put ½ to 1 dried Kashmiri red chilies, seeded, 1 ½ tsp coriander seeds, ½ tsp fennel seeds, ½ tsp cumin seeds, ½ pod black cardamom pod, 2 pods green cardamom pods, ¼ leaf small bay leaf, fresh, 2 whole cloves, ½ cinnamon stick (2.5 cm piece), 2 to 4 black peppercorns and ½ mace blades in a dry pan. Roast over low heat, stirring constantly.

    coriander seeds a shade darker and very fragrant

    chilies crisp, not blackened

  5. Chole Masala Powder · Step 2 of 2

    Turn off the heat, stir in ⅛ tsp freshly grated nutmeg and let everything cool. Grind with ½ to ¾ tsp amchur (dried mango powder) to a fine powder.

  6. Chole Gravy · Step 1 of 7

    Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a heavy pan and add ½ cinnamon stick (2.5 cm piece), 1 whole clove, 1 pod green cardamom pods and ¼ leaf small bay leaf.

    spices sizzle

  7. Chole Gravy · Step 2 of 7

    Add ¾ cup onions (2 medium) and ½ green chilis and fry over medium heat until golden.

    onions evenly golden

  8. Chole Gravy · Step 3 of 7

    Stir in 1 ⅛ to 1 ½ tsp ginger garlic paste and fry for about a minute.

    raw smell gone

  9. Chole Gravy · Step 4 of 7

    Add ½ cup tomatoes (3 medium) and cook over medium-high heat until they break down and lose their moisture. Lower the heat and stir in ¼ to ⅓ tsp Kashmiri chili powder, ⅛ tsp ground turmeric and ⅓ to ½ tsp salt.

    tomatoes mushy, no raw tomato smell

  10. Chole Gravy · Step 5 of 7

    Add all of the chole masala powder and saute for 3 min to 4 min.

    masala smells roasted and oil glistens at the edges

  11. Chole Gravy · Step 6 of 7

    Add the cooked chickpeas with their dark cooking liquid and ½ cup water, adding a little more water if needed for a gravy. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then cover and simmer on low heat.

    gravy thickened and clinging to the chickpeas

  12. Chole Gravy · Step 7 of 7

    Stir in ½ tsp kasuri methi. Taste and add more salt, extra amchur, only if needed if you want more tang, or garam masala.

  13. Tadka and Garnish · Step 1 of 2

    Heat 1 ½ tsp ghee in a small pan and fry 1 to 2 green chilies until blistered, using a splatter screen. Add ½ fresh ginger (1 cm piece), turn off the heat and stir in ⅛ tsp asafoetida (hing).

    chilies blistered and pale in patches

  14. Tadka and Garnish · Step 2 of 2

    Pour the sizzling tadka over the chole and scatter with 1 tbsp coriander leaves. Serve with bhatura, puri, naan or basmati rice.