Pindi Chole: Chickpea Based Punjabi Delicacy

By Niveditha Kalyanaraman

October 25th, 2023

Image Credit: The Spice Adventuress

A classic punjabi delicacy made with soaked chickpeas and blend of spices. The dish is unique and flavourful as it is made with freshly grounded spices and ginger julienne. It tastes amazing as a side dish to roti, naan bread or bhature, but also tastes great with jeera rice. Here's the recipe for Pindi Chole.

Image Credit: Spice Up The Curry 

Ingredients

For pressure cooking: 1 cup chana / chickpea 2 tea bags 1 inch cinnamon / dalchini 1 bay leaf / tej patta 3 pods cardamom / elachi 4 cloves / lavang ¼ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 3 cup water

Image Credit: Raksha's Kitchen

Ingredients

For chana masala spice powder: ½ tsp cumin / jeera 1 tsp coriander seeds ¼ tsp shahi jeera ¼ tsp pepper ¼ tsp fennel / saunf 1 tsp kasuri methi / dry fenugreek leaves 3 cloves 2 pods cardamom / elachi 3 dried red chilli ¼ tsp turmeric ¼ tsp aamchur / dry mango powder ¼ tsp pomegranate powder Pinch hing / asafoetida

Image Credit: Archana's Kitchen 

Ingredients

For Curry: 3 tsp oil 1 bay leaf / tej patta 1 onion, finely chopped 1 tsp ginger garlic paste 1 chilli, slit 2 tomato, finely chopped ½ tsp salt 2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped For Tempering: 1 tbsp ghee / clarified butter 1 chilli, slit 1 inch ginger, julienne ¼ tsp kashmiri red chilli powder

Image Credit: Spice Up The Curry 

Pressure Cooking The Chickpeas

Soak and drain the chickpeas off water. In a cooker, add tea bags, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, baking soda and salt. Pressure cook for 5 whistles adding 3 cups of water. Once the pressure settles down, remove tea bags and make sure the chana has cooked completely.

Image Credit: Vidhya's Vegetarian Kitchen 

Spice Powder Preparation

Dry roast cumin, coriander seeds, shahi jeera, pepper, fennel, kasuri methi, cloves, cardamom and dried red chilli, until the spices turn aromatic. Then blend to a fine powder and add turmeric, aamchur, pomegranate powder and pinch hing.

Image Credit: Dassana's Veg Recipes

Step 1

In a large kadai, heat oil and saute 1 bay leaf. Further add onion and ginger garlic paste and chilli. Saute well until the onions turn golden brown. Now add spice powder. Saute on low flame until the spice powder turns aromatic. Further add tomatoes and saute well.

Image Credit: The Spice Adventuress

Making The Pindi Chole

Step 2

Cook until the tomatoes turn mushy and oil is separated. Now add cooked chana and ½ tsp salt. Furthermore, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Also add 2 tbsp coriander and mix well. Finally, enjoy pindi chole with roti or bhatura.

Image Credit: Dassana's Veg Recipes