Chole, that ultimate Punjabi favourite that sings with the flavours of Punjab and pairs well with Puris, Kulchas, Naan and all sorts of North Indian breads, is a favourite of many. From chefs like Vikas Khanna and Ranveer Brar to visitors and locals alike, Chole has captured the hearts of Indians in India and beyond. Proving this point is Padma Lakshmi, the Indian-American model, author and cooking show host who is reputed to be quite the foodie and proponent of Indian food.
In a recent Instagram post, Padma Lakshmi shared her deep love and appreciation for Chole and explained how she’s had a special place in her heart and kitchen for this Indian dish since childhood. The video post also shows Padma Lakhsmi making the dish herself from scratch, sharing her special tips and twists with everyone, and the internet is impressed.
“Every time I cook this dish, I try to recreate the chole that I would find simmering all day on my Aunt Papu's stove when I visited Delhi as a kid,” she wrote on Instagram. She also gave a brief but brilliant explanation of the dish that introduces those unaware with its flavours. “Chole, a dish of spiced chickpeas (also called Chana or Chana Masala!) originates in the Indian subcontinent but can be found wherever people from the subcontinent went and settled due to colonialism. Every culture and family has their own variation, but this is mine,” she wrote.
In the video, Padma Lakshmi started off the recipe by blending tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, red chillies and green capsicum to create a smooth paste for the base of the Chole. She poured this puree into a hot pot with oil and gave it a good, continuous stir. Then, she added a whole range of spices that add flavour to the curry base, like salt, Kashmiri red chilli powder, garam masala, aamchoor or dry mango powder and cumin powder. Curiously, she added tamarind pulp to the gravy as well to add a tangy taste.
Once the gravy was thick and well-cooked, visible in the form of a darker gravy that has been reduced, she added in the boiled black chickpeas or kala chana. Now, Indians know that this dish can also be made with chickpeas or Kabuli chana as well, but kala chana is clearly a more popular choice. Once the chickpeas were cooked, Padma Lakshmi added plenty of coriander leaves on top as well as a dash of lemon juice to add more tang to the dish. At the end of the video, she also asked her followers to recommend their favourite version of the dish, and the responses came in fast.
Video Credit: YouTube/Ranveer Brar
While some users simply wrote about how much they love Chole, others came in with their memories of indulging in this dish during winters. “Mmmm kala chana makes me think of Navratri, or really cold winter nights when my MIL makes it this style. Her white chole is comfort in a bowl, too,” one user wrote. Others also suggested adding ingredients like pomegranate seeds or anardana powder while some said that Padma Lakshmi’s version might be too tangy. Whatever the responses may be, the fact remains that Padma Lakshmi’s trip down memory lane was something every Indian relates with.