Amritsari chole recipe with step by step photos – this amritsari chole masala tastes similar to the chole one gets in the Punjabi joints on the streets of Delhi.
This recipe had been requested my many of you when I had posted the garlic naan recipe. So finally posting the amritsari chole recipe. They taste great with bhatura, butter naan and even with aloo tikki. The first day I just served the chole with garlic naan. The next day, I made aloo tikki to go with the chole. The combo of aloo tiki – chole is very famous in north India.
This is an Awesome recipe of Amritsari chole and you must give it a try. I have used organic chole/chickpeas for making the chole and they do taste better than the regular ones. If you love chole then you would like to check a few more chickpea recipes from the blog like:
While boiling the chole/chickpeas, if you add some baking soda, it makes the chole melt in the mouth when they get cooked. If possible use a pressure cooker for cooking the chole/chickpeas, as in a pan they take a longer time.
How to make amritsari chole
Cooking chole/chickpeas
1: first pressure cook the soaked chole (chole have to be soaked overnight or for 8-9 hours) with the whole spices and tea bags or black tea leaves tied tightly in a muslin like a Bouquet garni, along with some black salt. The chole will get a nice dark color of the tea leaves. They should be completely cooked. Strain the chole/chickpeas and reserve the stock.
Making onion tomato masala
2: in a pan, heat oil and add chopped onions.
3: fry the onions till they become golden brown.
4: now add slit green chilies and fry for a minute. Yes the chole is spicy.
5: add chopped tomatoes and ginger.
6: saute the tomatoes till they become soft and mushy.
Making amritsari chole
7: add the chole and saute for 5-6 minutes.
8: add all the dry masala/spice powders.
9: stir the spice powders and saute for a minute.
10: now add the strained stock to the chole/chickpeas or add the chole to the strained stock. I just removed the chole with a slotted spoon and kept the strained stock in the pressure cooker itself, so added the chole to it.
11: keep the whole mixture on fire and simmer till the gravy thickens a bit. You don’t want a watery chole. Adjust the spices and seasonings as per your taste preferences.
12: when the gravy thickens, add some julienned ginger to the chole.
13: stir and serve hot.
14: Amritsari chole goes well with pooris, bhatura or naan with some raw chopped onion and lime wedges by the side.
Few more Punjabi recipes for you
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Amritsari Chole
By Dassana Amit
Ingredients
for cooking chickpeas
- 2 cups dried white chickpeas (kabuli chana or chole) soaked overnight in enough water
- 2 inch cinnamon sticks
- 4 to 5 black cardamom
- 1 large tej patta or 2 medium tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 4 teaspoon black tea leaves or 3 tea bags
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda, optional
- salt or black salt as required
for gravy
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 to 4 medium size tomatoes, chopped
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- 4 to 5 green chillies, slit or julienned
- 2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- 2 teaspoon fennel powder , optional
- 2 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder) or 2 teaspoon dried pomegranate powder (anardana powder)
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 2 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder or chana masala powder
- 3 to 4 tablespoon oil
- some julienned ginger
- few coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
Instructions
cooking chickpeas
- Firstly soak the dried chickpeas overnight in water or for 8-9 hours.
- Next day pressure cook the soaked chickpeas adding the whole spices mentioned above with black salt or salt and tea bags or tea leaves wrapped tightly in a muslin cloth.
- Pressure cook for 8-10 minutes or till the chickpeas are completely cooked.
- Strain the chickpeas and reserve the stock along with the whole spices. Discard the tea leaves or the tea bags.
making onion tomato masala
- In a large pan or a large kadai, heat oil. Add the chopped onions. Fry till golden brown.
- Add slit green chilies and fry for a minute.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and chopped ginger and saute the tomatoes till they become soft and mushy.
making amritsari chole
- Add the cooked chickpeas (chole) and saute for 5-6 minutes.
- Add all the spice powders, stir and saute for a minute.
- Now add the strained stock about 2.5 to 3 cups to the chole. If the stock is less you can add some water.
- Keep the whole mixture on fire and simmer till the curry thickens a bit.
- When the gravy thickens, add some julienned ginger to the gravy.
- Check the salt and seasonings and add more if required.
- Stir and serve amritsari chole hot garnished with coriander leaves along with some bhatura, naan, pooris or even steamed basmati rice.
Notes
- The spices can be adjusted as per your preferences.
- This recipe can be doubled or tripled.
- You can also use canned chickpeas instead of dried chickpeas.
Nutrition Info Approximate values
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The recipe turnout just fine but my chole colour was normal inspire of using tea powder. Though the gravy was nice.Thank you for sharing this recipe.
thanks ekta. depending on the quality and strength of tea leaves, the color will vary. most welcome.
Came out awesome. I am really fan of ur recipes and presentation of the whole act
thank you for sharing this feedback. glad to know.
Finger licking good. Tastes just like the ones you eat in dhaba
thank you natasha for this lovely feedback. thanks for the rating too. happy cooking