Pindi Chole recipe |Chana masala

Pindi Chana/ Chole

This Pindi chana , or Pindi Chole is a delicious dish , wholesome, hearty, healthy and protein packed dish, and straight from the heart of Punjab in North India. It is so named after the town where it originated - Rawalpindi (Pakistan) - in the days before the India-Pakistan partition. Pindi Chana or chole is very easy to cook, and makes for a complete wholesome meal when served with a rotis, Kulchas or Naan .This easy dish can be made with dried chickpeas or canned ones too to save time.

A popular variation of the versatile Chana/Chole, this is different from the regular preparation in terms of texture and colour. Pindi Chole is a dry dish, where the Chole are coated very lightly with the gravy. Tea leaves give this dish its rich colour robust earthy color.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Kabuli chana

1 tbsp tea leaves

2 tbsp coriander power

2 tbsp cumin powder

1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Pinch or turmeric powder

2 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp pomegranate seeds

1/2 cup oil

4 to 5 slit Green chilis slit

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tbsp garlic paste

salt to taste

2 medium tomatoes quartered.

Method

1. Soak chickpeas in four cups of water overnight.

2. Tie tea leaves in muslin cloth to form a bundle.

3. Pressure cook the soaked chick peas with salt, 5 cups of water and the muslin cloth tea bag ,for twenty minutes or until soft and completely cooked.

4. Drain the cooked chickpeas and reserve the cooking stock.

5. Discard bundle of tealeaves.

6. Mix together coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and amchur.

7. Dry roast cumin seeds till dark brown.

8. Dry roast anardana ( pomegranate seeds )and grind to a powder along with roasted cumin seeds.

9. Heat four tablespoons oil in a kadai, add slit green chillies and ginger-garlic paste.

10. Stir-fry briefly.

11. Add the mixed spice powder and stir-fry for half a minute.

12. Stir in half cup of the reserved cooking stock and cook for two minutes.

13. Add the cooked chickpeas, salt to taste, one cup of reserved cooking stock and cook on high heat for three to four minutes, stirring occasionally.

14. Top it with tomatoes, sprinkle garam masala powder, roasted cumin and anardana powder.

15. Heat the remaining oil to smoking point and pour over the prepared chickpeas.

16. Stir well, adjust seasoning and serve hot.

Pindi Chole

Pindi Chole and Bhatura

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