Amritsari Pindi chole masala is a special chickpea gravy with exotic spices that tastes awesome. I have quite a number of sweet dishes lined up for posting as it is the festive season. However, I wanted to take a break from the dessert category for a change. So, I am posting a very delicious savory recipe of chickpea gravy "Amritsari Pindi Chole Masala" today. It is a gravy made with chickpeas (Chole in Hindi ) from the northern state of India.
Why does this recipe stand out?
There are many recipes to make Chickpeas gravy. I had posted a simple recipe for the Chole Masala some time ago and I usually make this on busy days. Amritsari Pindi Chole masala is similar but has slight variations in the spices used and the preparation. It is especially known for its popular dark brownish color. The color is imparted to the gravy by soaking the chickpeas with the teabags. The spices used in the recipe are very flavorful. The last step of tempering with the chopped garlic, slit green chilies, and spices gives that extra oomph to this awesome dish.
Ingredients needed
- Dried chickpeas soaked in water with 2 teabags (for the brown color) and baking soda (optional)
- Whole spices - black cardamom, green cardamom, bay leaves, cloves
- Spice Powders - red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, pomegranate powder, cumin powder, dry mango powder, dry fenugreek powder, rock salt, asafetida
- Onion paste
- canned tomato sauce
- ginger garlic paste
- Green chillies and garlic cloves for tempering
How to make Amritsari Pindi Chole masala?
We first start by soaking the chickpeas in water with teabags overnight. Pressure cook the chickpeas, tea bags, salt, baking soda, and spices for five to six whistles. Save the brown water from the pressure cooking to add later.
Sautee the onion paste, ginger garlic paste and keep stirring till the raw smell goes away. Add tomato paste and cook until oil floats on top. Now add the remaining spice powders and mash some cooked chickpeas.
Finally temper with slit green chilies, garlic, and a little red chili powder and cumin. This tastes best with Basmati Rice, Roti, and especially a great combination with Batura
Hope you enjoy making and having this dish as much as I did!
Amritsari Pindi Chole Masala (ChickPeas Gravy)
Ingredients
- 2 cups chickpeas dried chickpeas soaked in water
- 2 tea bags
- ¼ tsp baking soda optional
Spices to pressure cook with chickpeas
- 2 black cardamom
- 4 green cardamom
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 4 cloves
- 1 tsp salt
Spice powders for Chole masala
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp pomegranate powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp dry mango powder
- 1 tsp dry fenugreek powder
- ½ tsp rock salt
- ¼ tsp asafoetida
For paste
- 1 onion made into paste
- 2 tomatoes or canned tomato sauce
- 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 3 tbsp oil
For Tempering
- 3 green chillies
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 tsp red chilly powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
Instructions
Pressure cook chickpeas
- Soak the dried chickpeas overnight or for about 8 to 10 hours
- In a pressure cooker , add the chickpeas, tea bags, salt, baking soda and the spices mentioned above.
- Add enough water to soak the chickpeas and pressure cook for about 5 to 6 whistles.
- Save the water from the cooked chickpeas for the gravy.
Prepare the gravy
- Heat oil in a large pan and add the onion paste and sautee well
- Next add the ginger garlic paste and keep stirring till the raw smell goes away.
- Next add the tomato paste and cook well covered until oil floats on top
- Add the spice powders mentioned above and mix well
- To this add the cooked chickpeas along with the dark brown water in which it was cooked
- Mash the chickpeas well till you get a thick gravy
Tempering
- Heat 1 tbsp oil
- Add the chopped garlic and slit green chillies and fry till browned
- Add the red chilli powder and cumin powder and switch off flame
- Add this to the gravy and mix well.
- Garnish with sliced chopped coriander leaves, lemon and raw onions .Enjoy with Rotis, bread or Rice !
Nutrition
Wonderful recipe! It sounds authentic and looks delicious.
Thank you Megala, it is a nice variation and tastes really good!
Yum ! Looks super delicious 😋
Thank you Smitha!
Great recipe! Looks lovely!👏👏
Thanks a lot !