North-Indian Recipes: How To Make Spicy Amritsari Pindi Chole At Home

Punjabi cuisine is known for its non-vegetarian fare. But many people forget that the land also offers us some of the most piquant vegetarian dishes that are unparalleled in terms of flavour, texture and colour. One fascinating aspect about the cuisine is its range of various dishes with chickpea as the hero ingredient. And why not? chickpeas are easily one of the most versatile ingredients that can be whipped into a plethora of mouth-watering dishes. Amritsari Pindi Chole (Pindi Chana) is one of the delights that you simply can’t miss from this rich repository. If you haven’t tasted it yet, then you’re missing out on something truly legendary. Pindi chana is a sapid dish consisting of chickpeas, or more commonly known as chana/chole in some regions of the subcontinent. These chickpeas are tossed in a tantalizing gravy which is seasoned with aromatic herbs and spice. This is a mouth-watering delicacy, which is apt for a weekend spread with your family and friends. Do, try to make Pindi Chana at home, we are pretty sure you will fall in love with this recipe.

Ingredients For Soaking Chickpeas:

  • 2 cups dried chickpeas
  • 3 ½ cups water

Ingredients For Cooking Chickpeas:

  • 4 cloves
  • 3 sticks cinnamon (1 inch each)
  • 3 black cardamoms
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 3 bay leaves (tej patta)
  • 4 dried Indian gooseberries pieces (amla)
  • 2 tsp black salt
  • 4 cups water

Ingredients For Making Pindi Chole:

  • 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 2 tsp red chili powder
  • 3 tsp coriander powder
  • 2 tsp garam Masala Powder
  • 2 tsp dry mango powder (amchur)
  • Salt as required
  • 3 tbsp oil (scentless)
  • 2 tsp lemon juice (optional)

Preparations For Cooking Chickpeas:

1. Wash the chickpeas well and soak them in water for 8 to 9 hours or overnight.

2. After that, boil the soaked chickpeas with the whole spices, water, black salt, and dried pieces of amla in a pressure cooker for at least 10 to 15 minutes. If the chickpeas aren’t cooked completely then pressure cook them again for a few more minutes.

3. Drain all the water from the cooked chickpeas and keep it aside for a while.

Preparations For Making Pindi Chole:

1. In a nonstick-pan heat oil over medium-low flame and sauté the ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for a couple seconds until the raw aroma of the paste disappears.

2. Now lower the heat or you can switch off the flame completely. Then add the coriander powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and dry mango powder.

3. Mix them well and sauté the spice powders carefully for a minute on a low heat. Remember not to burn the ground spices or it will turn bitter. Then add the cooked chickpeas into the mixture and mix it well with the masalas.

4. Season the mix with salt, you can adjust the seasoning according to your taste. Let the chickpeas cook for at least 5 to 7 minutes on a low heat. Make sure to stir them in regular intervals.

5. Lastly, drizzle some lemon juice on top of the chickpeas gravy and combine them well.