Chana Masala (Punjabi Chole)
Maya Lindqvist Demo- Makes
- 4 servings
- Active
- 35 min
- Total
- 9 h
You’ll Need pressure cooker or Instant Pot or heavy pot with a lid, spice grinder (or a small blender jar), heavy-bottomed pan or kadai, small tadka pan (with a splatter screen)
Method
Cooked Chickpeas
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Rinse well at least three times. Cover with and soak overnight, at least . Drain and rinse.
chickpeas doubled in sizeSafe to pause here -
Put the chickpeas in a pressure cooker with , , , , , and . Cook over medium heat for five or six whistles, or at high pressure in an Instant Pot.
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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 pressedif they are at all firm, cook one or two more whistlesSafe to pause here
Chole Masala Powder
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While the chickpeas cook, put , , , , , , , , , and in a dry pan. Roast over low heat, stirring constantly.
coriander seeds a shade darker and very fragrantchilies crisp, not blackened -
Turn off the heat, stir in and let everything cool. Grind with to a fine powder.
Safe to pause here
Chole Gravy
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Heat in a heavy pan and add , , and .
spices sizzle -
Add and and fry over medium heat until golden.
onions evenly golden -
Stir in and fry for about a minute.
raw smell gone -
Add and cook over medium-high heat until they break down and lose their moisture. Lower the heat and stir in , and .
tomatoes mushy, no raw tomato smell -
Add all of the chole masala powder and saute for to .
masala smells roasted and oil glistens at the edges -
Add the cooked chickpeas with their dark cooking liquid and , 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 chickpeasSafe to pause here -
Stir in . Taste and add more salt, if you want more tang, or garam masala.
Tadka and Garnish
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Heat in a small pan and fry until blistered, using a splatter screen. Add , turn off the heat and stir in .
chilies blistered and pale in patches -
Pour the sizzling tadka over the chole and scatter with . Serve with bhatura, puri, naan or basmati rice.
From Maya Lindqvist
Punjabi chole starts the night before with dried chickpeas, which are then cooked with a tea bag and whole spices so they turn dark and earthy, the way dried amla colours them in Punjab. A freshly roasted and ground chole masala, sharp with amchur, makes the real difference over a store-bought blend, and the sizzling ghee tadka poured over at the end is not optional in my house.
Notes
- Short on time? Use 2 cans (15 oz each) of chickpeas, drained and rinsed, and simmer them in the masala with a cup of tea decoction in place of plain water.
- Quick soak: pour boiling water over the dried chickpeas, cover and leave for about an hour until they swell.
- No pressure cooker: simmer the soaked chickpeas in a covered pot with plenty of water and 1/4 tsp baking soda for about an hour, until they squash easily.
- Dried amla (Indian gooseberry), 2 pieces, is the traditional alternative to the tea bag.
- Store-bought chole masala: skip the homemade blend and use 1 tbsp chole masala, 3/4 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp ground coriander. In a pinch, 2 tsp garam masala plus 2 tsp ground coriander will do, though the flavour is flatter.
- Thicker gravy: mash a few spoonfuls of the chickpeas and stir them back in.
- Smoother gravy: boil the onions for 3 minutes and puree them instead of chopping.
Storage
Keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes well for 3 months. The gravy thickens overnight; loosen it with hot water.
Make Ahead
Cook the chickpeas and grind the chole masala a day ahead. The finished chole is even better the next day; make the tadka just before serving.
When to Start
Plan backwards from a time
Filed under Main · South Asia › India › Punjab · Legumes · Curry · Pressure Cooking · Chana Masala. Tags: #make-ahead, #vegetarian.
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