Chole is the traditional North Indian Cuisine recipe. It is made by cooking chickpea in spicy and tangy gravy made by using onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and Indian spices. It is served with Bhatura which is puffed bread.
Chole Bhature is usually served as a breakfast item in Punjab along with curd, lassi, pickle, onion and fried green chilies. It is also considered as street food and is also a special item in the restaurant menu. The level of spices can be adjusted as per our taste while making them.
Chole can be made in different ways. Some prefer to retain the original taste and color of chickpea while boiling them. Others put tea bags, dried amla (gooseberry), cinnamon in it. This gives chole a nice dark color and taste. I have used tea bags and cinnamon stick while boiling the chickpeas.
I generally simmer the Chole along with spices and paste for more time. The more you boil and simmer them, the more it absorbs the spices.
Chole is generally served with Bhatura. Bhatura is puffed bread, deep fried and made from fermented flour. Chole can also be served with naan, kulcha, parathas or plain rice. But since we all prefer less oily food, I have served them with whole wheat parathas.
Chhole (Chickpeas In Onion Tomato Gravy)
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup Chickpeas Washed and soaked for 6-7 hours or overnight
- 1 tea bag
- 2 cinnamon stick
- 4 medium onion washed, sliced and pureed
- 1 medium onion washed and chopped finely
- 3 medium tomato washed, sliced and pureed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 2 tsp coriander cumin powder
- 1 tbsp chole masala
- 1 tsp anardana powder
- 2 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tbsp kasuri methi rubbed and crushed between the palms
- 4 tbsp oil
- 1/2 cup chole stock the water left after boiling and draining the chole
- salt as per taste
Instructions
- Pressure cook the soaked chickpea along with salt, tea bag, cinnamon stick for 4-5 whistles or till chick pea are soft.
- Let the cooker get cooled and then remove the cooked chickpeas from it.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, asafoetida.
- When the cumin seeds crackle add the chopped onions. Saute them till soft and translucent on medium heat.
- Now add the ginger garlic paste and saute them till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away for 4-5 minutes.
- Now add the onion puree to it and cook it till soft on medium heat.
- Now add the tomato puree to it and mix it and cook it on medium heat.
- Saute them till the water in the puree dries up. Now add all the dry masala - chili powder, corainder cumin powder, anardana powder, chole masala. Mix and saute them well for 2-3 minutes.
- Now add the boiled chickpea to the gravy. Mash them a little so that it helps in thickening the gravy. Add the left Chickpea stock. Add salt as per taste to it.Simmer it gently on low heat till the gravy thickens and oil seperates.
- Now add the kasuri methi that is rubbed and crushed in palms. Mix it well and simmer for 3-4 minutes .
- The chole are done. Garnish with ginger juliene and chopped coriander .Serve them hot with bhatura, naan , kulcha or paratha. I have served them with whole wheat parathas and onions. ( you can squeeze lemon juice while serving if you want chole to be more tangy)
Tempting!