#PunjabiCuisine #NoOnion #NoGarlic #NoTomato

Pindi Chole, is one of the popular Punjabi dishes, slightly different in texture and taste than the usual chole. This nutritious-rich recipe has originated from a place called Rawalpindi in Pakistan. Hence the name Pindi Chole. It is darker in colour than the usual chole and has a blend of spicy, sour taste.

How to make Pindi Chole?

The preparation of this dry subzi is unique. It’s a No Onion and No Garlic, No Tomato recipe. Onion is used only for garnishing…that too is optional. It calls for various commonly used Indian spices that makes this chole absolutely lip-smacking even without onion, tomato and garlic.

Overnight soaked white chick peas / kabuli chana is slowly cooked and coated with a thin layer of tangy, spicy and flavourful gravy. The deep colour is rendered by using tea bags while cooking chana. The pomegranate seeds or amchur powder imparts sourness to this recipe.

We prepare pindi chole frequently as we like to pair it with many dishes like kulcha (plain / stuffed), naan, bhatura, lachha paratha, methi or palak puri, aalu samosa and even with plain bread slices.

Ingredients

• White Chick Peas / Kabuli Chana – 1 cup
• Bay Leaves / Tej Patha – 1
• Clove / Lavang – 2
• Black Cardamom / Badi Elaichi – 1
• Cinnamon / Dalchini – 1/2 inch piece
• Tea Bag – 1
• Ginger – 1/4 inch piece, finely chopped
• Green Chilly – 1, deseeded and finely chopped (increase / decrease as per taste)
• Garam Masala -1/2 tsp
• Amchur Powder -1/4 tsp
• Haldi – a pinch
• Salt to taste
• Cumin Seeds / Jeera – 1/2 tsp
• Oil + Ghee – 2 tbsp

For garnishing

• Desi Ghee – 2 tsp
• Punjabi Chole Masala – 1 tsp
• Fresh Dhaniya – 1 tbsp, finely chopped
• Onion – 1 small sized, sliced

Method

• Soak chana overnight in double the amount of water.
• Pressure cook it with tej patha, lavang, badi elaichi, dalchini, salt, haldi and a tea bag (remove the stapler pin and the thread from the tea bag without forgetting).
• Add enough water and cook till 5-6 whistle. The chana should be firm but soft.
• Discard the tea bag, strain the chana and the whole spices and reserve the water.
• In a kadai, heat oil and add jeera. When it splutters, add ginger, green chillies and saute for a minute.
• Add haldi, amchur powder, garam masala and saute for half a min.
• Now, add the cooked chana and very little amount of the reserved water, just enough to coat the masala over chana (rest of the water can be used to knead roti dough).
• Simmer it for 2-3 mins. Adjust the salt. Switch off the flame.
• For tadka: Heat desi ghee, add Punjabi chole masala and mix. Switch off the flame.
• Keep stirring to avoid burning of masala. Pour this over the chole and mix it well.
• Garnish it with chopped dhaniya and sliced onion. Serve hot with kulcha or bhatura or paratha or naan.

Notes

• Using of tea gives a nice colour to the chole. If u don’t want to use tea bag, tie tea leaves in a muslin cloth / silicon tea diffuser and add it in the pressure cooker while cooking chana.

For Lachha Paratha’s recipe,plz click here..

To checkout more such delicious recipes, Plz click Palak Paneer Paratha, Dal Baati Churma, Poori Masaal, Paneer Butter Masala.

Happy Cooking!