What is the history of Pindi Chole?
Pindi Chole recipe is a popular Punjabi dish cooked across North India in homes and enjoyed in restaurants. Pindi Chole is often paired with bhature, puris or rice. Born in a Punjabi Family, I’ve never had to think about the history of Pindi chole recipe. In fact, I used to believe that the birth of Pindi Chole recipe took place in my Mom’s kitchen. Jokes apart, I did find out that pindi chana dish is named after the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi. If you follow cricket, then I’m sure you’d have heard about Rawalpindi Express – Shoaib Akhtar too.
Why am I making Pindi Chole?
Actually I’ve never had to think about making chole at home, it’s a default option for Saturday lunch in most Punjabi homes. I’ve grown up eating chole chawal or chole bhature on Saturdays at my maternal as well as my paternal grandparent’s home. I never really understood this ritual, but I’ve never complained about it either, except on weekdays. If I want to eat chole on a weekday, I make sure I go ahead and soak chane before my mom plans for anything else for the next day.
Pindi Chole vs Amritsari Chana masala, what’s the difference?
Have you had a similar confusion as well? I couldn’t find a satisfactory answer for this question, hence I had to ask my mom and Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi. As it turns out, Pindi chole is drier and darker in texture where as Amritsari chole have a much lighter gravy with a few differences in the masala preparation. Pindi chole are also much spicier traditionally, but I always feel adding spices is in your hands so there’s no one stopping you to add a couple more chillies to Amritsari chole and bring up it’s hotness quotient.
What I’m making today is actually a cross between Pindi and Amritsari chole, with Pindi flavors dominating the recipe.
Pindi Cholle Recipe
Pindi Chole is a popular vegetarian Punjabi dish cooked across North Indian and Pakistani homes, and is also enjoyed in restaurants. Pindi Chole is often paired with bhature, puris or rice.
Ingredients
- Chickpea/Safed Cholle/ Kabuli Chana - 1 Glass/180 gms (approx)
- Bay Leaf - 1
- Black Cardamom - 1
- Cinnamon Stick - small piece
- Salt - 1 ½ tsp or as per taste
- Tea Leaves - 1 tsp OR 1 tea bag (Optional)
- Mustard Oil - 2tsp
- Ghee/ Butter - 1 tsp
- Carom Seeds - ½ tsp
- Chopped Onion - 1
- Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tsp
- Fresh Tomato Puree - 3 medium size tomatoes
- Ginger - Garlic Paste - 2 tsp
- Green Chilies - 3 to 4 (half slitted)
- Red Chilli Powder - ½ tsp
- Turmeric/Haldi Powder - ½ tsp
- Coriander/Dhaniya Powder - 1 tsp
- Garam Masala/ Cholle Masala - 1 tsp
- Amchur/ Dry Mango Powder - 2 tsp
- Paneer - 50 gms (used for garnishing and is optional)
- Coriander Leaves - 1 tsp
Instructions
Preparing Cholle
- Wash and soak the chickpeas overnight or for approximately 7-8 hours.
- Drain out the soaked chickpeas and wash again. Add 1 tsp of salt, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and black cardamom with approximately 4 glasses of water and pressure cook them for 10 minutes on high flame and 20 minutes on low flame. Don't overcook them in short, the cholle should not become mashy at this stage.
- Separate the water and chickpeas. Add one tea bag or 1 tsp of tea leaves in separated water and allow it to boil till it becomes dark in colour. (This step is optional; it makes the pindi cholle gravy dark in colour)
Preparing gravy for Pindi Cholle
- Heat mustard oil in a pan till it loses its odor. Now add ½ tsp carom seeds to it.
- Add chopped onion to the heated oil and cook it till they become pink. Add all spices 2 tsp of Amchur/Dry Mango Powder, 1 tsp of Coriander Powder, ½ tsp of Red Chilli Powder, ½ tsp of haldi/turmeric powder, 2 tsp ginger garlic paste and 1 tsp of cholle masala or garam masala.
- Quickly add fresh puree of 3 tomatoes to the fried onions and spice mixture and saute it till the curry releases oil. It will take around 10 minutes for the tomatoes to get cooked properly.
- Add only chickpeas to the onion and tomato curry. Do not add the water in the mix at this moment. Cook the chickpeas with this mixture properly and mash it a little to get a thick texture.
- Slowly add the water which was separated in the last step from chickpeas into the mixture as per your choice. Add less water if you wish to eat with puri or bhatura else add more if you wish to have it with steamed rice.
- Fry small pieces of paneer and slit green chillies in 1/2 tsp ghee. Garnish your balle balle pindi cholle with coriander, paneer and chilli tempering.
- Serve with Puri, Bhatura or steamed rice.
Notes
Adding the tea bag or 1 tsp of tea leaves is an optional step, I do it because I love the color it gives to the final recipe.
Recommended Products
I recommend products that will help you make the recipe in the best way possible.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Amount Per Serving: Calories: 225Carbohydrates: 110gProtein: 30g
Once I’ve had a sumptuous lunch of puri and pindi chole, then I definitely need some digestive help 😉 my favorite Tangy mango candy comes in handy in such situations.
If you try out this recipe, do take pictures and tag me if you’re sharing them on Instagram or Facebook @learnmyrecipe.
See you soon with a new mouth watering delicacy.
Very nice recioe maam
Awesome and delicious..👌👌👌👌🤟🤘
Thanks Aggra👍