CHANA MASALA / CHOLE RECIPE / PUNJABI CHOLE

CHANA MASALA RECIPE WITH STEP BY STEP PHOTOS | HOW TO DO PUNJABI CHOLE | CHOLE RECIPE WITH STEP BY STEP PHOTOS

Punjabi Chole Masala / Chana Masala is a spicy curry from chickpeas , cooked North Indian style . It’s easy , super tasty and one of the most famous staple Indian curry . Tastes amazingly delicious with bhatura , poori , naan , roti etc . Hot hot poori chole.. yum !! Match made in heaven .. family favorite – any day !

You can try some of my other favorite Indian Curries too – Dum Aloo , Rajma , Paneer Butter Masala , Methi Malai , South indian Style Channa Masala etc

WHAT IS CHOLE MASALA ?

Chole / Chana is basically chickpeas . In this Punjabi style Chole Masala soaked chickpeas is cooked in a pressure cooker / one pot and later simmered in a onion tomato base with few other spices . One of the most popular currys across India .. be it at home or restaurant or functions , chole is every one’s favorite .

It’s gluten free , It’s protein rich , It’s spicy , its tangy , super tasty and bursting with flavors .. and the best thing , making this restaurant style Chole masala at home is not difficult at all.

FEW POINTS TO NOTE WHILE MAKING CHANA MASALA

• Pick good quality chickpeas and soak them well in adequate water over night or 5-6 hours .
• You can use canned chickpeas too .
• In case you have forgotten to soak chickpeas and want to do chana masala in a hurry, just soak the Chickpeas in hot water , place in a flask or hot case for about an hour or two
• Cook chickpeas nicely such that they are soft yet frim . they should hold shape but when pressed soft .
• Addition of a tea bag while cooking adds beautiful dark color to the Punjabi Chole. In case , you don’t add tea bag , you can add 2-3 piece of dried amla pieces . Adds nice deep color . This step is purely optional , you can skip in case you don’t have either . The taste will be the same but. the color of the ready curry will be lighter.
• Addition of few extra spices while cooking the chick peas , adds an extra flavor.
• Sauteing onion tomato nicely till they change color and start leaving oil is the most important step in this recipe. Do not get lazy and opt cut short method here . Spoils the taste .
• You can either use home made Chana masala powder or use ready made from store . I usually use Everest , MDH , Badshah , Shan .
• Also do not skip kasoori methi . Adds such a distinct taste .
• Mash few of the chick peas in the curry with the help of a laddle . this gives a nice texture to the curry .

STEP BY STEP PHOTOS FOR CHANA MASALA :

Soak white channa / kabuli chana over night / 5-6 hours .

Later , drain and transfer the soaked chana into pressure cooker . Add water sufficient enough to cover channa, a pinch of cooking soda , few whole spices ( cloves , elaichi , cinnamon and bay leaf )

Add a tea bag , it gives nice deep color to the chana masala. Instead of tea bag , can add a piece of dried amla. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles on medium flame. The chana should be well cooked , yet should hold shape. When pressed it should be soft.

In a kadai , take oil + butter. When it’s hot , add pinch of hing , tsp of jeera , bay leaf and 1-2 slit green chillies. Saute for a min.

Add 1-2 big Onion coarse paste / Finely chopped , 1-1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste , saute till raw smell goes .

Once raw smell from onion has gone , add 2-3 pureed Tomatoes , salt and saute nicely till tomatoes are nicely cooked and color changes.

Frying Onion Tomato nicely till oil separates is the key .Cover and cook , saute in between.

When onion tomato base is well cooked , starts leaving oil , add all the dry masala one by one. Saute for a minute. I have added here 1/4 tsp Haldi , 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder , 2 tsp Chole Masala , tsp Dhania Powder , 1/2 tsp Jeera Powder , 1/2 tsp Aamchoor powder / Anardhana powder , 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder and tsp Kasoori Methi Powder.

Combine all the masala’s well and saute them for 1-2 mins . This is how a well sauteed onion tomato base looks like.

Now , remove tea bag and add all the cooked choles. Combine everything well.

Add some more water , salt if required and simmer for 5-6 mins. Let channa take in all the flavors.Mash few channas , using a ladle. This gives nice texture to the gravy. Adjust the consistency as per your preference .

Once nicely boiled , add chopped coriander leaves.

Enjoy hot Punjabi chole with hot poori . Poori chole , what a classic combo.

Do try this Punjabi Poori chole for sure and enjoy ….

You can top this chana on Aloo tikki too and enjoy as a chaat .