chole paneer recipe with step by step photos – spicy and delicious punjabi curry made with cottage cheese and white chickpeas.

punjabis love their chana masala, rajma masala, dal makhani, bread pakora and parathas. there are many variations of making chana recipe and this is one more addition to an already big collection of chole recipes posted on the blog. few more delicious chole recipes you can try are:

• aloo chole sabzi (delhi style)
• amritsari chole
• chickpea curry recipe (spicy south indian variation with coconut)

this chole paneer recipe does not use any chole masala and nor do you need to grind any masala. just the regular indian spices are added to the gravy. the dish is made in less time in a pressure cooker. but you do have to remember to soak the dried chickpeas for 7 to 8 hours or overnight.

paneer chole masala goes well with rotis, parathas, pooris or naan. also serve some onion slices and lemon wedges as a side accompaniment.

if you are looking for more paneer recipes then do check palak paneer, paneer butter masala, kadai paneer, paneer tikka masala, and paneer tawa masala recipe.

4.8 from 5 votes

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chole paneer recipe

punjabi chole paneer recipe - spicy and delicious punjabi curry of white chickpeas with cottage cheese.

course main course

cuisine north indian, punjabi

prep time 8 hours

cook time 30 minutes

total time 8 hours 30 minutes

servings 4

author dassana amit

ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)

for cooking chole or chickpeas

• 1 cup chole Or 200 grams chole (dried white chickpeas or safed chana)
• enough water for soaking chole
• 3 cups water for pressure cooking chole
• 2 small tej patta (indian bay leaf)
• 2 cinnamon of one inch each (dalchini)
• 2 black cardamom (badi elachi)
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 to 4 dried amla Or 1 black tea bag (optional)

for chole paneer gravy

• 1 medium onion, chopped Or ½ cup chopped onion
• 2 medium to large tomatoes, chopped Or ¾ cup chopped tomatoes
• 100 to 150 grams paneer (cottage cheese)
• 2 to 3 slit green chillies (hari mirch)
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder (dhania powder)
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder (jeera powder)
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder (lal mirch powder)
• 1 teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder)
• ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1 cup water or add as required
• salt as required

for garnish

• 1 to 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta)
• ½ inch, ginger julienne (adrak)

how to make chole paneer recipe

cooking chole

1. soak 1 cup dried white chickpeas (kabuli chana or safed chole) in enough water overnight for for 7 to 8 hours. drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas in water and keep aside.

2. take the chole along with 1 tsp salt, 2 black cardamoms, 2 inch cinnamon, 3 dried amla pieces (substitute one black tea bag in place of amla), 2 small tej patta and 1 tsp ginger paste in the pressure cooker. add 3 cups water. stir.

3. cover tightly and pressure cook the chickpeas for 10 to 12 whistles.

4. the chole or chickpeas should be cooked well. there should not be any bite in the chole. they should have a soft melt in the mouth texture. 

5. discard the softened amla pieces or tea bag and keep the cooked chickpeas along with the stock aside.

making chole paneer

1. in another pan or kadai, heat 2 tbsp oil and add 1/2 cup chopped onion.
2. stir and saute on a low to medium flame, till the onions are translucent or light golden.
3. then add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste. stir and saute for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
4. add 3/4 cup chopped tomatoes.
5. stir the tomatoes. saute the tomatoes, till they soften.
6. add the spice powders - 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder,1/2 tsp garam masala & 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
7. stir and saute for a minute.
8. add the cooked chole along with its spices. stir well.
9. then add 2 or 3 slit green chilies. stir.
10. add 1 cup of the stock or stock+water.
11. season with salt as required. do keep in mind, that 1 tsp of salt was added to the stock.
12. on a medium flame, bring the gravy to a simmer.
13. the gravy should thicken slightly. mash a few chickpeas with the back of the spoon. this helps in thickening the gravy.
14. now add paneer cubes (125 to 150 grams of paneer), 1/2 tsp kasuri methi & 1 tsp amchur powder. dry mango powder or amchur can be added according to one's taste.
15. stir and simmer the paneer for about 2 minutes on a low flame.
16. switch off the flame and add 1 or 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and some ginger julienne. you can also garnish with the coriander leaves and ginger julienne instead of adding them.
17. stir finally and serve the paneer chole with rotis, pooris, parathas or naan. also serve some onion slices and lemon wedges as a side accompaniment.

recipe notes

substitutions:
1) dried amla - 1 tea bag
2) dry mango powder - 1 tsp dry pomegranate seeds powder or 1 tsp lime juice, you can also add as required and add lime juice towards the end.

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how to prepare chole paneer or chana paneer

1. soak 1 cup dried white chickpeas/kabuli chana or safed chole in enough water overnight or for 7 to 8 hours. 1 cup chickpeas is equal to 200 grams of chickpeas in weight. drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas in water and keep aside.

2. the following spices-herbs will be added while cooking the chickpeas – in clockwise order: 1 tsp salt, 2 black cardamoms, 2 inch cinnamon, 3 dried amla (indian gooseberry) pieces (substitute 1 black tea bag in place of amla), 2 small tej patta and 1 tsp ginger paste. you can skip the amla and the tea bag completely, if you don’t have them.

3. take the spices-herbs and the chickpeas in the pressure cooker. add 3 cups water. stir.

4. cover tightly and pressure cook the chickpeas for 10 to 12 whistles.

5. the chickpeas should be cooked well. there should not be any bite in the chickpeas. they should have a soft melt in the mouth texture. discard the softened amla pieces or tea bag and keep the cooked chickpeas along with the stock aside. if the chickpeas are not cooked, then pressure cook them again for 3 to 4 whistles or more and adding some water if required.

6. in another pan or kadai, heat 2 tbsp oil and add ½ cup chopped onions.

7. stir and saute on a low to medium flame, till the onions are translucent or light golden.

8. then add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste. stir and saute for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

9. add ¾ cup chopped tomatoes.

10. stir the tomatoes.

11. saute the tomatoes, till they soften.

12. add the spice powders – 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp garam masala & ½ tsp turmeric powder.

13. stir and saute for a minute.

14. add the cooked chickpeas along with its spices.

15. stir well.

16. then add 2 or 3 slit green chilies. stir.

17. add 1 cup of the stock or stock+water.

18. season with salt as required. do keep in mind, that 1 tsp of salt was added to the stock.

19. on a medium flame, bring the gravy to a simmer.

20. the gravy should thicken slightly. mash a few chole or chickpeas with the back of the spoon. this helps in thickening the gravy.

21. here the gravy has thickened enough.

22. now add paneer cubes (125 to 150 grams of paneer), ½ tsp kasuri methi & 1 tsp amchur powder. amchur or dry mango powder can be added according to one’s taste.

23. stir and simmer the paneer for about 2 minutes on a low flame.

24. switch off the flame and add 1 or 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and some ginger julienne. you can also garnish chole paneer with the coriander leaves and ginger julienne instead of adding them.

25. stir finally and serve the paneer chole with rotis or parathas or pooris or tandoori rotis or naan. also serve some onion slices and lemon wedges as a side accompaniment.

dassana amit

Founder, Designer, Recipe Developer, Food Photographer || MORE ABOUT US

i started vegrecipesofindia.com in feb 2009. it is a pure vegetarian blog and shares recipes with step by step photos that will help you to make delicious and tasty vegetarian food easily.

i am passionate about cooking from childhood and learnt cooking from my elders. having a home science degree surely enhanced my cooking & baking skills which i now share as fool proof recipes on the blog. i am trained both in mainstream indian as well as international cuisines.