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Chole Masala

Chole Masala

Chole Masala - a delicious chickpea curry from the North of India.

Course Main
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Chana Spice Mix

  • 3 ½ tsp coriander powder
  • ¾ tsp ginger powder
  • ¾ tsp red chili powder
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp pomegranate seed powder Anar Dana
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp cumin powder

Chole

  • 200 gms - 1 cup dried chickpeas soaked overnight and drained
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 2 tea bags
  • 2 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • Chana Spice Mix
  • 2 tbsp hot melted ghee to cook the spices

Chana/Chole Masala

  • Cooked chole from above
  • 4 - 6 tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 2.5 cm – 1 inch ginger slices
  • 2 green chilies
  • ¼ cup yogurt
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • ½ tsp ginger paste
  • ½ tsp garlic paste
  • ½ tsp dried fenugreek leaves Kasuri Methi
  • ½ cup water

Toppings

  • Fresh coriander leaves
  • Finely chopped red onions
  • Lime/lemon juice
  • Salt

Instructions

Chana Spice Mix

  1. Mix all the spices together and keep aside.

Chole

  1. Pressure cook the chickpeas together with the cinnamon stick, salt, cloves, black cardamom, tea bags and baking soda. Using tea and baking soda will make your chickpeas moist, delicious and as dark as the chole you get at the restaurant!
  2. Make sure you add just enough water as to cover the chickpeas by 1 inch.
  3. Pressure cook them for 5 whistles on a low flame.
  4. When the pressure cooker has depressurised, open it and transfer the chickpeas into a large bowl.
  5. Sprinkle the Chana Spice Mix on the top, gently mix the spices with the chickpeas, then pour the hot melted ghee all over the mixture to cook off the spices.

Chana/Chole Masala

  1. Heat up the oil in a pot. Add the chopped onions and cook them until brown.
  2. Add the yogurt and cook it well for about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the ginger and garlic pastes and mix well. Then add the tomato puree and cook it until the oil starts to separate.
  4. Add the water and turn the flame to the minimum. As soon as it starts to boil, add the Chole to it and mix gently. Add the sliced ginger, slit green chillies and dried fenugreek leaves.
  5. Cook for 10 minutes on a very low flame.

Toppings

  1. Mix together the chopped onion, a pinch of salt and some lemon/lime juice and stir this mixture through.
  2. Serve with coriander leaves and hot bhatura!