Chole / Chana masala
Chole or Chana masala is one of the most popular and a staple of every Indian household. A simple yet the most famous dish from North India. This dish incorporate s the most spicy and essential flavours from India. It's cooked differently in every restaurant and dhaba. The most popular are the pindi chole which are dry and covered with spices.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pre soaked chole /chickpeas or Canned chick Peas
- 1 Masala cardamom
- 1/2 Bay leaf
- 1 medium finely chopped onion
- 1 medium chopped tomato
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tbsp Chole masala
- 1 tsp Red chilli powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Coriander powder
- Salt as per taste
- 1 tbsp Cooking oil
- 1 teasp Amla(dried gooseberry) (optional)Or Tea bag
Instructions
Instant Pot Chana Masala
- Set on saute mode and heat oil in it.
- Splatter cumin (optional), saute ginger garlic paste, roast onions, then add tomatoes and cook for few minutes.
- Add the spices and add the chickpeas/ garbanzo beans (presoaked) Not cooked
- Close the lid and cook for 30 minutes on sealing position.
- Pressure release naturally after 10-15 minutes by rotating the pressure valve to venting.
- Mash a few chickpeas and the curry is ready to serve.
- (If using Canned chickpeas set the cook time to jst 5-7 minutes)
Pressure cooker and wok method
- Drain the pre soaked chole and add fresh water to it. Add a masala cardamom and bay leaf to it. Add dried gooseberry 1/2 small pieces or 1 tea bag. (For dark brown color)
- In a pressure cooker cook the chole for about 20-25 minutes. Upon cooling open the cooker and drain the chole. Remove the tea bag now. (Tea bag or amla{gooseberry }gives a nice brown colour)
- *If using canned chick peas just skip step 1 and 2
- In a wok or a kadhai heat oil.Saute ginger garlic paste in it.
- Add chopped onions and saute until cooked. Now add tomatoes and allow it to cook until softened.
- Now add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder as per taste and saute. Then add about 1/2 teaspoon of chole masala to it. And saute. The mixture starts releasing oil and flavours.
- Now add the cooked chana to it. Add salt as per taste and cook the chana masala with a cover for about another 5-7 minutes.
- Once open the lid and smash a few chanas with your spoon. This will infuse flavours inside the chanas and help in making the gravy a little thick and saucy.
- Cook for another 5 minutes and the chole are ready to serve. Garnish with coriander and onions.
- Serve them with the popular Bhature/bhatura
Notes
- You can use canned peas instead of raw and skip the cooking chana part. Only thing is canned chick peas won't be dark in colour.
- Vegans can eat it with their choice of bread or paratha .
- Chole bhature tastes good with aloo kulchas too.
- Chole can be served with parathas too.