Punjabi Chole Recipe

“PUNJABI CHOLE RECIPE”

Ingredients

1. For Boiling the Chole:

• Kabuli Chana (Chickpeas): 500g (washed thoroughly)
• Hot water: Enough to soak (or 3 cups per cup of chickpeas for boiling)
• Tea leaves (Chai patti): 2 tsp (tied in a clean cotton cloth pouch)
• Dried Amla (Sukha Amla): A few pieces (optional, helps develop a dark, rich color)
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Cooking Oil: A few drops (prevents froth from spilling out of the pressure cooker)

2. The SOOD FOOD’S  “PIND DA TADKA CHOLE MASALA”:

3. For the Gravy Base use  SOOD FOOD’S  Whole spices.

• Cooking oil: ~100 ml
• Whole dried red chilli: 1 (broken)
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Bay leaves (Tejpatta): 2
• Black cardamom: 2 pods
• Carom seeds (Ajwain): 1.5 tsp (aids digestion)
• Asafoetida (Hing): A generous pinch
• Garlic: Finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tsp
• Onions: 4 medium (pureed or finely chopped)
• Tomatoes: 4 ripe red (pureed)
• Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
• Coriander powder: 1 tsp
• Degi Mirch / Kashmiri Mirch powder: 0.5 tsp
• Turmeric powder (Haldi): A very small pinch
• Salt: To taste
• Tamarind (Imli) water: Prepared by soaking a small piece of tamarind in warm water (or amchur powder)

4. For the Final Tempering (Tadka):

• Desi Ghee: 2 tbsp
• Oil: A splash
• Green chillies: 3–4 (slit lengthwise)
• Ajwain (Carom seeds): A pinch
• Hing (Asafoetida): A pinch
• “PIND DA TADKA CHOLE MASALA” ½ Tsp

Step-by-Step Instructions.

Step 1: Soaking & Boiling the Chole

1. Wash the chickpeas thoroughly 2–3 times to clean off any chemical polishing.
2. Soak them in hot water along with the tea pouch and dried amla for about 2 hours (if using normal room-temperature water, soak for 6–8 hours).
3. Transfer the chickpeas along with the soaking water (do not discard the water) into a pressure cooker. Add salt and a few drops of oil.
4. Cook on high flame until 1 whistle blows, then reduce the flame to low and let it simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until soft and tender.

Step 2: Cooking the Masala Gravy:

1. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or lagan. Add whole red chilli, cumin seeds, bay leaves, black cardamom, ajwain, and hing.
2. Add chopped garlic and sauté briefly, followed by ginger-garlic paste. Cook until the raw smell dissipates .
3. Add onion paste and cook over medium-high heat until it turns a light golden brown .
4. Add the tomato puree and salt (salt helps cook the tomatoes faster). Cook until the oil begins to separate and the masala gets a grainy texture.
5. Stir in red chilli powder, coriander powder, degi mirch, a tiny pinch of turmeric, kasuri methi, and 2 Tbsp of the freshly ground “PIND DA TADKA CHOLE MASALA” (reserve a small portion for the end) .
6. Cook until the masala is thoroughly roasted and granular .

Step 4: Simmering the Chole:

1. Open the pressure cooker; discard the tea pouch.
2. Take 1–2 ladles of boiled chickpeas, add them to the cooked masala base, and mash them lightly using the back of a ladle. This provides natural body and thickness to the gravy.
3. Pour in the tamarind water for an authentic tang and rich colour.
4. Add the remaining boiled chickpeas along with their dark cooking liquid
5. Mix well and let it simmer on medium-to-high flame for 8–10 minutes until the gravy thickens. Stir in the remaining “PIND DA TADKA CHOLE MASALA”.

Step 5: The Final Ghee Tadka

1. In a small pan, heat desi ghee with a splash of oil.
2. Add slit green chillies, a pinch of ajwain, and a pinch of hing .
3. Add ½ Tsp of “PIND DA TADKA CHOLE MASALA”.
4. Once crackling, pour the hot tempering directly over the simmering chole and cover immediately to seal in the aromas .