Chole Recipe

‘Chole’ is an all time favorite of mine and my family. Though in restaurant Chole are usually served along with Bhature’s, but at my home puri is always preferred over it. I make other variation of Chole at home such as the Punjabi Chole or the Pindi Chole as well. But this recipe is our all time favorite for ‘Chole’ and i usually serve a sweet dish i.e. Aamras or Shrikhand along with it. This Simple Chole Recipe comes from my MOM. I hope you guys like and enjoy this recipe, just the way my family does.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup Chickpeas / Kabuli Channa (soaked overnight)
• 1 Onion (large, cut into cubes)
• 3 Tomatoes (medium, cut into cubes)
• 2 Cardamom
• 1 inch Cinnamon
• 3 to 4 Peppercorns
• 3 Cloves
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 6-8 Garlic Cloves
• 2 or 3 Dry Red Chili
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 2-3 pinch Asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp Chili Powder (optional)
• 1 tsp Chole Masala (optional)
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 Lemon Juice (small)
• 1/2 inch Ginger (fine)
• 3 tbsp Oil
• Coriander leaves (chopped, for garnish)

Method:

1. Rinse and soak the chickpeas in enough water overnight.
2. In a pressure cooker add the chickpeas, turmeric, asafoetida, salt to taste and 3 cups of water, keep on high flame. After the 1st whistle, lower the flame and let it cook for further 15 mins.
3. Take 1 tbsp Oil in a pan, add cardamom, cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, bay-leaf, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and dry red chili. Stir often and roast the spices on low flame till they get mildly browned.
4. Add the onion cubes and garlic cloves, fry on medium flame for 3-5 minutes until the onions are nicely browned. Add diced tomatoes and further cook for a minute till its soft.
5. Now let this masala cool completely and then grind it to a fine puree.
6. Take 2 tbsp oil in the same pan and when its hot enough add the pureed masala. Saute the masala very well for good 10 to 15 minutes till the oil starts to leave the sides of the masala.
7. Make a paste of 2-3 tbsp of cooked chickpeas and add the remaining chickpeas to this masala prepared. Add 1 to 1.5 cups of the stock in which the chickpeas was boiled instead of water instead.
8. Add chili powder, channa chole powder, sugar and salt to taste. Stir well, cover and let it simmer on medium flame for 10 minutes.
9. Do a taste check now and adjust the spices, water and salt as required. Finally add the ginger, lemon juice and chickpeas paste. Stir well and further simmer on low flame for 5 mins. The gravy will thicken a bit now.
10. Finally garnish your chole with chopped coriander leaves and serve it hot with puri and shrikhand or aamras. 😉