Here’s an inspired version of Kunal Kapoor’s inferno-esque yet super delicious Pindi Chole recipe! This Chole Masala recipe is an essential keeper for your recipe book!
A Must-Have Chole Masala Recipe
Chole Masala needs no introduction. This chickpea stew is hands down one of the most popular dishes at Indian restaurants. It is comfort food that transcends many cultures and is easily the go-to weeknight meal for many across the world. Dunk a piece of buttery, greasy-good bhature into a luscious tomato-ey tea-infused chole masala and you’re transported to another world.
The Richer Cousin of Chole Masala
Pindi Chole is a richer, denser, and stronger cousin of the infamous Chole Masala. Many sources believe the name is inspired by the name of the Pakistani city Rawalpindi. I draw inspiration from Kunal Kapoor, one of India’s favorite Punjabi chefs for this recipe. He uses dried amla, a fairly new ingredient to my pantry. His recipe is extremely good but certainly not for the faint-hearted. Made with plenty of chilies like a true Punjabi, his recipe is for brave souls.
My version is not as spicy. I still highly recommend cutting down the chilies and spices if you want a chole masala recipe that is a bit milder. Incidentally, Amla is alkaline in nature much like limes and unlike lemons. I have a classic lime pickle recipe from Tamil Nadu that is a perfect addition to your pantry cabinet this summer!
Why should you add Tea to Chole Masala?
Back in the 90s, my mom’s recipe was a typical Chole Masala recipe that used onions, tomatoes, and a wonderful blend of spices. No amla or chai! Years later, I saw this tip on the internet that mentioned the use of brewed tea in chole recipes. I decided to try this tip out. And lo and behold, tea adds notes of malt and amps up your recipe with a richness that I can’t describe. All you do is brew a cup of strong tea using Assam tea leaves or the strongest black tea leaves that you have. You can even use this tea from Kenya which comes pre-mixed with spices. This adds an extra oomph to your recipe.
Can You Add Dried Amla To Chole Masala?
The answer is YES! The amla adds sourness and brightens up your dish in a way that no lemon, tomato, or tamarind can. It is uniquely sour and smoky in flavor. This is definitely one ingredient that I didn’t know I needed in my Chole recipe until Kunal Kapoor showed me the way! It’s always good to learn this kind of tip and I’m happy to share this with you. After all, good food is really a bunch of tips that have been passed from generation to generation.
How to make Pindi Chole Recipe
There are two ways to make this recipe. One is using dried chickpeas. And the other with canned chickpeas.
Dried Chickpeas – When you use dried chickpeas, there is a certain amount of soaking that needs to be done before you can cook the chickpeas. This is done to break down some of the tough fiber that naturally is present in chickpeas. The softening of the chickpeas also helps cook it faster.
Canned Chickpeas – With canned chickpeas, I drain the liquid from the can and give the chickpeas a quick rinse making sure not to over rinse. This helps retain the nutritional value and it also leaves my mind to rest knowing that slimy water is not in there! (of course, I know this water is great for some recipes)
Baking Soda – Another tip is to add baking soda. Baking soda helps break the chickpea further. This is especially great if your chickpeas are old. Old chickpeas tend to take longer to cook and in some cases are inedible.
Pindi Chole Recipe | Chole Masala Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot
- 1 Medium Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 can Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans skip the dried chickpeas if using canned
- 3/4 cup Dried Chickpeas skip the canned chickpeas if using dried
- 1/4 cup Oil
Fresh Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Ginger finely chopped
- 2 tbsp Garlic finely chopped
- 1 Green Chili slit
- 1 medium Onion finely chopped
- 1 cup Tomato Purée
- 3 cup Water
Amla-Tea Brew
- 1 tsp Loose Black Tea Leaves
- 3 Pieces Dried Amla
- 2 cups Water add more, if required.
Spices
- 1/2 tsp Asafetida or Hing
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 2 tsp Red Chili Powder 1 tsp in the dish and 1 tsp for garnish
- 2 tbsp Chole Masala Powder
Garnish
- 2 tbsp Ghee for garnish
- 1/2 tsp Chaat Masala Powder
- 1/4 cup Coriander Leaves chopped
- 3 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp Onion finely chopped
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
Instructions
Soak the Chickpeas
- If using dried chickpeas, soak them in a large bowl for 8-12 hours
Make an Amla-Tea Brew
- Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a small pot
- Add Tea leaves and Amla. Brew for one minute
Cook the Chickpeas
- Place your chickpeas, amla-tea brew in an instant pot
- Cook for 4 mins on manual pressure if using canned chickpeas.
- Cook for 40 mins or bean setting if using dried chickpeas.
Make the Pindi Chole
- In a medium saucepan, add oil and 1 tbsp ghee.
- When the oil is hot, add the onion, ginger, garlic, and green chili. Sauté until the onion starts to brown.
- Now add your spices – asafetida, turmeric, red chili powder, chole masala, and salt.
- Cook for at least 1-2 minutes on medium-low to prevent masalas from tasting raw and bitter.
- Add the tomato purée and cook for 2 more mins.
- Now add your cooked chickpeas. Adjust consistency by adding more water as needed.
- Let this simmer for at least 20- 30 mins. The more you slow cook this, the better.
Make a red chili oil
- In a small pan, add the ghee. When the ghee is melted and starting to get hot, add the red chili powder.
- When you see the red chili powder instantly bloom, take off the heat and pour over the cooked chickpeas.
Garnish
- Garnish the dish with chaat masala, chopped coriander leaves, chopped onions and lemon juice.
- Serve with bhature, rotis, any flatbread of your choice or even with plain basmati rice!
Notes
- I cook with canned chickpeas just because it is more convenient. The older dried chickpeas get, the harder they are to cook. If you cook frequently with chickpeas, dried chickpeas are the way to go.
- Use a teabag of the strongest black tea you can find. I prefer Tea India’s Orange Pekoe Tea Bags.
- Dried Amla is hard to find especially if you live in Western countries. Thank god for Amazon, we get a salted variant of dried amla in smaller chunks. I used these and adjusted the salt accordingly.
- I blend 1 or 2 Roma tomatoes in a blender and use the strained puree. Canned tomatoes lend a slightly more acidic profile to the dish. This is a personal preference. I would always prefer the fresh tomatoes over the canned ones. But that’s just my choice! Also, if convenience is the need of the hour, it’s ok and you will still ladle up your bowl with warm and spicy Pindi Chole! Enjoy!