August 13, 2020

Punjabi Chhole Masala – Restaurant style

Name: Punjabi Chhole Masala - Restaurant style
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera); 1½ tsp fennel seeds (saunf); 1½ tsp coriendar seeds; 1 piece bay leaf; 3 pieces cloves; 1 inch cinnamon stick; 4-5 pieces un-peeled cardemom; 6 pieces blackpepper corns; 1/2 cup chhole / white chickpeas; 2 medium size onions ((finely chopped)); 3 medium to small size tomatoes ((finely chopped)); 1 heaped tsp grated ginger; 2 pieces green chillies ((slitted lengthwise)); 4 tbsp oil; 4 pieces dry kashmiri red chillies ((soaked in water for at least 30 minutes)); 1 tsp salt ((adjust quantity as per your taste)); 1/2 tsp garam masala; 1/2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder ((if required)); 1/2 tsp amchur powder (dry mango powder) or pomegranate powder ((only if required))

Spread the Love

Punjabi Chhole Masala – Restaurant style

Priyangi Pujara

Chhole masala, also called Chana masala or Channay is a dish originating from Punjab- an Indian subcontinent. The main ingredient of this dish is a variety of chickpea called chhole chana that are bigger in size than regular brown chickpea. The colour of chhole chana is dull white or cream.

Being a dish full of protein, Chhole masala is ideal for breakfast. However, people also enjoy it for lunch or dinner. It is usually served with bhature (deep fried bread made from leavened dough) making it the traditional popular punjabi dish called ' chhole bhature '

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Total Time 40 mins

Course Breakfast, Indian lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Indian, Punjabi

Equipment

pressure cooker
standard measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients

For the spice mix

1½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1½ tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1½ tsp coriendar seeds
1 piece bay leaf
3 pieces cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
4-5 pieces un-peeled cardemom
6 pieces blackpepper corns

For the curry

1/2 cup chhole / white chickpeas
2 medium size onions (finely chopped)
3 medium to small size tomatoes (finely chopped)
1 heaped tsp grated ginger
2 pieces green chillies (slitted lengthwise)
4 tbsp oil
4 pieces dry kashmiri red chillies (soaked in water for at least 30 minutes)
1 tsp salt (adjust quantity as per your taste)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder (if required)
1/2 tsp amchur powder (dry mango powder) or pomegranate powder (only if required)

Instructions

Preparation:

Wash and soak chhole overnight. Discard water and pressure cook with 250 ml fresh water and 1 tsp salt
Let the whistle blow 8 times (maximum) on medium heat. They must not get mushy, yet they should be soft enough when pressed after cooking. See how each grain is intact.
but so well cooked that it is pressed down easily.
Make smooth paste from soaked red chillies. Use the same water for grinding that the chillies were soaked in.
Roast spice mix on very slow heat, while continuously stirring, till they leave aroma.
Grind them into fine powder when they cool down.
Prepare onion, tomatoes, ginger and green chillies.

Cooking the curry

Heat oil in a pan on medium to low heat. Fry onions till they are translucent and tender. Add ginger and fry for a minute or till it leaves raw smell.
Add tomatoes and a bit of salt (consider the amount added in chickpeas while boiling). Fry till they get tender and oil starts to ooz.
Add the green chillies, grinded spice mix, chilli powder, garam masala and the chilli paste.
Combine everything well.
Fry till the mixure gets pulpy, most of the moisture is evaporated and much oil is seen around it . Stir frequently during the process.
Add boiled chick peas along with its broth. Stir.
You may add a little more water to adjust consistency. Taste the gravy ALONG With CHICKPEAS and adjust salt/chilli. You may also ad amchur at this point if required.
Cover and simmer on low heat for roughly 8-10 minutes or until you get the right consistency and the oil floats on the top.
Serve hot with Bhature and onion slices.