Chole Curried Garbanzos Recipes

CHANA MASALA | CHOLE RECIPE | PUNJABI CHOLE MASALA

Steps:

• Rinse the chickpeas a couple of times in fresh water. Then soak them in water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours. Add enough amount of water as the chickpeas increase in size after soaking it. Later drain the water and again rinse the soaked chickpeas with fresh water.
• To give a dark color to the chickpeas, traditionally dried amla (Indian gooseberries) are added. These also give a faint sourness to the stock. If you do not have dried amla, then add 1 black tea bag.
• In a 3-litre stovetop pressure cooker add the chickpeas along with the 3 to 4 dried amla pieces or 1 black tea bag. Taj tea bags work very well. Then add water.
• Season with salt and pressure cook the chickpeas for 12 to 15 whistles on medium heat. The chickpeas should be cooked well and softened. The chickpeas should be soft when you mash it with a spoon or eat it. The chickpeas should not give you a bite when you eat it.
• In a pan, take all the whole spices for the "chole masala powder" mentioned above and on a low heat begin to roast them.
• Stir often and roast the spices till they get extra browned. Don't burn them. You have to go beyond a point roasting them even after they become fragrant and they get more browned than what is the norm usually.
• Let these roasted spices cool and then grind or powder them finely in a coffee grinder or in a dry grinder.
• By now the chana will be cooked. You will see a darker brown shade in the safed (white chana). Remove the amla pieces which would have softened by now or the tea bag from the stock.
• Heat oil in a pan or kadai. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for few seconds or till their raw aroma goes away.
• Then add chopped onions and saute stirring often till the onions turn translucent or light brown.
• Add tomatoes and saute stirring often till they soften and the oil starts to leave the sides of the onion and tomato mixture.
• Lower the heat and then add all of the powdered chole masala that we ground, together with the red chili powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder (optional).
• Stir and mix the dry ground spices and then add slit green chilies
• Add the cooked chickpeas. Mix well.
• Add salt according to taste. Then add about 1 to 1.25 cups of the stock in which the chickpeas was cooked. You can also add water instead.
• Stir and cover the pan with a lid.
• Simmer on a low to medium heat. You can also cook the chana masala without the lid.
• The gravy will thicken and reduce. Mash a few chickpeas as this helps in thickening the gravy.
• Simmer till you get the consistency you prefer. The consistency of this curry is not thin, but medium consistency or semi-dry. For thick or semi-dry consistency add less water.
• If you have not added dry pomegranate seeds while roasting the spices, then you need to add amchur powder (dry mango powder) now. Mix and stir well.
• Serve the Punjabi chana masala with kulcha, bhatura, poori, roti, naan, bread with a side of sliced onions, tomatoes and lemon or lime wedges.
• While serving garnish with coriander leaves and ginger julienne.
• This Chole Masala also tastes good with steamed rice or jeera rice or saffron rice.

CHOLE (VEGETARIAN INDIAN CHICKPEAS)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and anise; stir. Add chickpeas, tomato sauce, water, chile powder, garam masala, salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and clove. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until chickpeas start to soften, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Mash some of the chickpeas directly in the pot to give the sauce a chunkier consistency. Cover and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until flavors come together, about 15 minutes. Remove star anise pieces and clove before serving.

PAN-FRIED CURRIED CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Drain chickpeas in a sieve or colander and rinse with water. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Melt coconut oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add chickpeas and salt. Give the pan a careful shake to distribute the chickpeas. Let cook for a couple of minutes without stirring, then gently shake the pan again or stir to turn the chickpeas and brown them on another side. Stir/shake every minute or so until browned on most sides and some of the chickpeas have split, about 7 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in the curry powder, cumin, and cayenne. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then serve.

PUNJABI CHOLE RECIPE (CHICKPEA CURRY RECIPE)

Steps:

• Drain the soaked chickpeas and put them in the inner pot of the Instant Pot along with 4 cups of water and salt. Close the lid and make sure the vent is in sealing position. Press the pressure cooking button and set the timer to 30 minutes. Release the pressure after 10 minutes. Open the lid and take out the chickpeas along with any remaining liquid in a bowl and keep aside.
• Cancel the pressure cooking mode and press saute mode. Add 1/3 cup cooking oil. Add onions and saute until pink. Tip in the ginger and garlic pastes, chopped tomatoes, and all the powdered spices. Cook until the oil leaves the sides of the pot and the masala becomes shiny. Keep adding water little by little to prevent the masala from sticking to the bottom of the pot. (8-10 minutes)
• Add the boiled chickpeas and saute again for 5 minutes.
• Take them out in a bowl and garnish with the chopped onion, tomatoes and green chilli. Sprinkle some lime juice over the chole if you wish to.

CHOLE (CURRIED GARBANZOS)

Steps:

• Mash one teaspoon of the cooked chickpeas.
• Heat oil or ghee in a heavy skillet over medium heat.
• When heated, add the chopped green chilies and ginger, stir.
• Remove the skillet from the flame and add the red chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder.
• Stir, and return the skillet to the flame.
• Add the diced potatoes and saute for about 8 minutes or until the potatoes turn golden brown.
• Now add the cooked chickpeas and salt.
• Saute for a minute, and then add the 1 teaspoon of mashed chickpeas, and mango powder or tamarind pulp.
• Add 1 cup water and bring to a vigourous boil.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and sprinkle with the ground spices.
• Serve hot with baturas (deep fried Indian bread), or rotis (common Indian flatbread), or nan (thick Indian bread).