Authentic Punjabi Chana MasalaVeg

Enjoy restaurant-style Punjabi Chole Masala right at home with this simple, authentic recipe! Perfectly boiled chickpeas simmered in a rich, tangy, and spiced onion-tomato gravy create a comforting dish packed with bold flavors. Infused with aromatic whole spices, dry mango powder, and finished with a special desi ghee tadka of ginger and green chilies, these spicy chickpeas are perfect to serve with hot bhature, poori, or steamed rice. A must-try classic for your next meal!

Prep:20 min

Cook:15 min

Total:35 min

Serves:2-3 people

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Instructions

1

Experience the authentic taste of North India with this easy-to-follow Authentic Punjabi Chole Masala. These tender chickpeas are slow-cooked in a rich, tangy, and aromatic onion-tomato gravy, finished with a fragrant ghee tadka. Perfect for serving with bhature or rice!

2

Make Authentic Punjabi Chole Masala with this easy recipe. Tender chickpeas in a rich, tangy, spiced gravy, finished with a fragrant ghee tadka.

3

Soak one cup of dried Kabuli Chana in water for to 10 hours.

4

Drain the water and place the chickpeas in a pressure cooker.

5

Add water (about 2.5 cups), a bay leaf, black cardamom (slightly opened), cinnamon stick, cloves, and salt.

6

Pressure cook for 5-6 whistles on medium flame. Once the pressure releases naturally, open the cooker and remove the whole spices.

7

Blend onions, ginger, green chilies, and garlic into a smooth paste using a mixer.

8

Heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida. Once the seeds crackle, add the onion-ginger-garlic paste with two tablespoons of water.

9

Sauté until the raw smell disappears and the paste is well-cooked.

10

Blend tomatoes with 8-10 boiled chickpeas to create a thick paste. Add this to the pan along with two tablespoons of water.

11

Add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, black salt, dry mango powder (or pomegranate seed powder), garam masala, roasted/crushed Kasuri methi, and chole masala powder.

12

Cover and cook the masala on medium-low heat for 5-6 minutes. Afterward, cook on medium-high heat while stirring continuously until the oil separates from the edges and the masala stops sticking to the pan.

13

Add the boiled chickpeas to the prepared masala and mix well. If you prefer a thinner gravy, add warm water at this stage.

14

Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

15

Once the chole reach the desired consistency, turn off the heat and garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves.

16

For the final tempering (tadka), heat a tablespoon of ghee in a small pan. Fry green chilies (slit) and ginger juliennes until fragrant, then remove from heat and stir in a pinch of Kashmiri red chili powder.

17

Pour this hot tempering over the prepared chole, mix gently, and serve.