Amritsari Pindi Chole

This is the most common, comfort and favourite food in Amritsar and near by regions in Punjab and in Delhi. Amritsari pindi chole is full with flavoured of spices, ginger, garlic and spicy - tangy chickpeas. Fresh grounded masala gives rich dark brown colour. It serves with bhature, kulche, naan poories and samose.

Cuisine. Indian

Prep time. 8 hours

Cooking time. 45minutes

Serving. 3 people

So lets start for recipe.

Ingredients :

2 cups of kabuli chole (chickpea - legume)

1 cup of finely chopped onion

1 cup of finely chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp of finely chopped garlic - ginger - green chilli paste

Spices :

* 2 tsp of dhaniya powder (coriander . seeds powder)

* 1 tsp of turmeric powder

* 1 tsp of red chilli powder

* 1 tsp of amchoor powder (dried raw . mango flakes powder)

* 1 tsp cumin seeds

* 1/4 tsp of heeng ( asafoetida)

* 1 tsp of tea leaves or a tea bag.

Oil for cooking

* 2 tbsp of desi ghee

Salt according to taste

Water for cooking

Spices for fresh garam masala :

* 2 medium sized bay leaf

* 2-3 clove

* 7-8 black pepper balls

* 2 cinnamon sticks

* 1 big black cardamom

* 2 small star anise (optional)

* 1/4 tsp of nutmeg powder or a very . small piece of nutmeg.

( Dry roast all and grind into grinder as fine powder)

Method :

A day before wash and soak overnight the chickpeas into the water. You can soak chickpeas into tea water during for nice dark brown colour in chickpeas.

Next day drain of all water and transfer the chole into the pressure cooker with 1/2 tsp of salt and a tea bag. If you dont have tea bag. Take small piece of cloth and make a temporary bag of tea leaves with some tea leafs. Or you can soak chickpeas into tea water and boil into the same water. As i did.

Pressure cook it on medium flame atleast 4-5 whistle. Now keep aside the pressure cooker and release the pressure naturally. When the pressure released take a pea in between your two fingers and mash. If it cooked properly it will mash easily. If not then again give 2-3 whistle.

Step - 2

Take a deep pan. If you have iron wok it will be very good for you. Because iron wok gives very nice black colour on chickpeas during cooking and add iron in your food. If you dont have not to worry you can in any other utensil.

So now take a deep pan and add 1 tbsp of any vegetable oil. Once the oil becomes hot add cumin seeds and heeng.

Then add fresh garam masala which you have made and stir.

Add ginger, garlic and green chilli paste and stir for few minutes.

Now add finely chopped onion and fry until get golden brown colour.

Then add finely chopped tomatoes and mix. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and salt according to taste. Mix all with onion tomato paste.

Stir continuously and roast until the paste leaves oil from the sides. Now add amchoor powder.

Add boiled chole and mix with paste. Add 2 cups of water, mix and bring it a boil on high flame. Now slow down your gas flame and simmer it for 15-20 minutes.

At last add 2 tbsp of desi ghee. Desi ghee gives very nice flavour into the chole. Its ready.

Enjoy with bhature and poori.

Thank you 😊

Note: If you dont have whole spices for fresh garam masala, you can use your regular garam masala.

For dark brown colour on chickpeas use tea leaves water.