This Amritsari Chole is THE recipe that will make you fall in love with chickpeas all over again! It’s easy and soo comforting that you’re going to LOVE this recipe!
💌Why I Love This Recipe:
My husband, Harsh is the chef behind this recipe and he makes it really really good! He perfected this recipe after multiple attempts and variations of testing many versions of it so this is a fail-proof recipe that you will instantly fall in love with.
Every bite is so flavourful and gives that bold kick of spices perfectly coated on the soft tender chickpeas and my favourite is the tempering of ginger and chili on the top which is like the cherry on the cake when you eat it. Its aroma is also so irresistible that you’ll be going for next rounds before you even realise it.
Amritsari Chole mostly uses baking soda to soften the chickpeas even more for that silky-smooth texture however we don’t like the taste of baking soda in this so we skipped this step.
This is also a great recipe to make if you want to impress your friends and family – It’s always a hit in large gatherings and you will surprised at how easy it is to make it.
Another reason why I love this recipe is because of how nutritious chickpeas are such as yes, we know they are high in carbs but they are also rich in fiber and protein. They contain several key vitamins and minerals including iron and folate (very much needed for an iron deficient girl like me).
All in all I really hope you give this recipe a try because I’m sure you will love it and please let me know how it turns out to be, I’d really love to hear from you!
~with love, Jahnvi
🛒 INGREDIENTS:
📝Notes on Ingredients:
- Whole Spices: Cloves, black cardamom, cardamom and cinnamon stick
- Ground Spices Blends: Chana masala spice blend, coriander powder, amchur (dried mango powder) cayenne or any red chili powder, turmeric and asafetida – You can easily find these spice blends at an Indian grocery store.
- Herbs: Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), fresh cilantro and ginger-garlic paste.
- Oil: Avocado oil, Sunflower oil or any other neutral oil of your choice. Please don’t use coconut oil or olive oil as they don’t pair well in this recipe.
I want to highlight here that there are two methods of making this recipe – one is with canned chickpeas and the other using dried chickpeas. We tested this recipe using both methods in a way that does not compromise on the taste and quality so depending on your time and convenience please feel free to use either of the two which I will share below.
Method 1 – Using canned chickpeas:
- Heat ghee and oil in a pressure cooker.
- Add whole spices (cloves, cardamom, cinnamon) and let them sizzle to release their aroma.
- Add onion puree and sauté until golden brown. Stir in ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell disappears.
- Mix in ground spices (chole masala, coriander, amchur, chili powder, turmeric) and blend well.
- Add tomato puree and salt, cooking until the oil separates.
- Add water, and cook for 3 whistles to achieve a thick, even consistency of the gravy. Open the cooker, add boiled chickpeas, and stir well.
- Crush dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and mix them in.
- Prepare the tempering: Heat ghee, add asafetida, julienned ginger, and green chilies. Pour this tempering over the chole.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with kulcha, naan, paratha or rice. You can also add a side of onions and lemon wedges to pair with it.
Method 2 – Using dried chickpeas:
Chickpeas Prep: If using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight or at least 8 hours minimum – this step is very essential as soaking legumes reduces phytic acids which is a factor that causes bloating and improves the absorption of important nutrients and minerals, such as protein, iron, zinc and calcium in the human body. Don’t boil the chickpeas as this will be done in a later step mentioned below:
- Heat ghee and oil in a pressure cooker.
- Add whole spices (cloves, cardamom, cinnamon) and let them sizzle to release their aroma.
- Add onion puree and sauté until golden brown. Stir in ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell disappears.
- Mix in ground spices (chole masala, coriander, amchur, chili powder, turmeric) and blend well.
- Add tomato puree and salt, cooking until the oil separates.
- Transfer the soaked chickpeas into the pressure cooker mixture, add water, and cook for 7-8 whistles to boil chickpea in that soft texture and achieve a thick, even consistency of the gravy.
- Crush dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and mix them in.
- Prepare the tempering: Heat ghee, add asafetida, julienned ginger, and green chilies. Pour this fragrant tempering over the chole.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with kulcha, naan, paratha or rice. You can also add a side of onions and lemon wedges to pair with it.
🤷FAQs
You can buy any brand of Chana Masala but for this recipe be sure to check that it has Anardana (Pomegranate) powder as this is essential in Amritsari Chole. If not then don’t fret, use amchur powder as a replacement.
Easy Amritsari Chole without baking soda
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 large onions, blend to puree
- 3 medium tomatoes, blend to puree
- 1 cup canned chickpeas (See Note 1 and 3 if using dried chickpeas)
- 1 handful fresh coriander to garnish
- ½ cup water
Whole Spices
- 3 cloves
- 1 big cardamom (black cardamom)
- 2 cardamom
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
Seasoning Spices
- 2 teaspoon Ginger Garlic paste
- 2 tablespoon chole masala
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Amchur (dried mango) powder
- ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon Haldi (turmeric)
- 1 tablespoon Kasuri meethi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 1 tablespoon salt or per taste
For Tempering
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- ¼ tsp hing (asafetida)
- 1 inch ginger, julienne chopped
- 3 green chili slit chopped
Instructions
- Heat some ghee and oil in a pressure cooker, and add the whole spices. Let them sizzle and release their aroma.3 cloves, 1 big cardamom (black cardamom), 2 cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon stick
- Add onion puree and sauté until golden brown.2 large onions, blend to puree
- Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell disappears.2 teaspoon Ginger Garlic paste
- Add the ground spices (chole masala, coriander, amchur, chili powder, and turmeric) and mix well.2 tablespoon chole masala, 1 teaspoon Coriander powder, 1 teaspoon Amchur (dried mango) powder, ½ teaspoon Red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon Haldi (turmeric)
- Add tomato puree and salt, cook until the oil separates.3 medium tomatoes, blend to puree, 1 tablespoon salt or per taste
- Add a little water and pressure cook for 3 whistles for that even thick consistency of the gravy (see Note 1 and 3 if using dried chickpeas).½ cup water
- Open the lid, add canned chickpeas, and mix well. Crush dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and stir it in the cooker (see Note 1 and 3 if using dried chickpeas).1 cup canned chickpeas (See Note 1 and 3 if using dried chickpeas), 1 tablespoon Kasuri meethi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- For the tempering, heat some ghee in a small pan. Add hing (asafetida), ginger, and green chilies. Pour this fragrant tempering over the chole.1 tablespoon ghee, ¼ teaspoon hing (asafetida), 1 inch ginger, julienne chopped, 3 green chili slit chopped
- Serve hot and garnish with fresh coriander. This dish is best enjoyed with Kulcha, roti or naan. You can also pair it with some pickled onions and some poppadom on the side for that extra crunch.1 handful fresh coriander to garnish
Notes
Tips and Hacks for Amritsari Chole:
- Chickpeas Prep: If using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight or at least 8 hours minimum. You will need 1 cup of dried chickpeas.
- Chole Masala: Use a good quality, store-bought chole masala with Anardana (pomegranate) ingredient in it or else use amchur (dried mango powder) as a replacement.
- Dried Chickpeas Method: If using dried chickpeas instead of canned chickpeas then add the soaked chickpeas in the pressure cooker after water and cook it for 7-8 whistles (more whistles than the canned chickpea version) to boil the chickpeas and blend in with the gravy as well as even out the consistency of the gravy.
- Tempering: Don’t skip the ginger-chili tempering—it adds a burst of flavor and fragrance.
- Consistency: Adjust water based on how thick or runny you like your curry.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve with Kulcha, Paratha, Naan or rice but it tastes best with breads over rice. Pair with pickled onions and lemon wedges for a complete experience.
