You must be wondering what Pindi Chhole is? Is it not the same regular chhole that we make and eat? No, it is not Pindi Chhole. It is a uniquely flavored dish of Punjabi cuisine. It has a different color from regular chhole, and it is dark-colored due to the use of tea leaves in its preparation. Pindi Chhole has a blend of flavors, and it tastes different from regular chhole. Lets know about Pindi Chhole Recipe.
However, Pindi Chhole is accompanied by the same Indian bread that we accompany regular chhole, like bhature, roti, paratha, naan, and poori. Pindi chhole can also be eaten with plain rice or jeera (cumin seeds) flavored rice, but Pindi chhole tastes best with bhatura and naan.
Pindi Chhole recipe is easy to follow, but since it is not instant food, it takes time to cook Pindi chhole recipe.
Pindi chhole recipe as stated below, but before that, collect all the required ingredients for the Pindi chhole recipe:
Pindi Chhole Recipe Ingredients :
- Three cups of Kabuli chana (Chickpeas)
- Five to six teabags
- Three inches of cinnamon bark (Daalcheeni)
- Three bay leaves or tej patta
- Few pods of cardamom (five to six will suffice)
- Few cloves or laung
- A two-thirds teaspoon of baking soda
- One and a half teaspoons of salt
- Nine cups of water
The ingredients, as mentioned above, will be pressure cooked.
Separately prepare the gravy or curry and spices. The ingredients for chana masala (spices) and curry are:
- One and a half teaspoons of cumin or jeera seeds
- A pinch of heeng (asafetida)
- Three teaspoons of coriander seeds (dhaniya)
- Two-third teaspoon shahi jeera
- Two-third teaspoon black pepper
- Two-third teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
- Three teaspoons of dried fenugreek seed (Kasuri methi)
- Few dried whole red chili
- Two-third teaspoon pomegranate powder
- Two-third teaspoon dried mango powder (aamchur powder)
- Two-third teaspoon turmeric powder (Haldi)
The above-stated ingredients will make up the spice powder that will be used to prepare the curry or gravy for Pindi Chhole.
Collect the following ingredients for making the rich gravy for Pindi chhole
- Oil
- Three Bay leaves/ tej patta
- Three finely chopped onions
- Six finely chopped tomatoes
- Three teaspoon ginger-garlic paste (home-made or ready-made, both will work)
- Three green chilies do not cut or chop them. Just slit it from the middle
- Salt as per preference
- Chopped coriander (dhaniya) leaves
You will have to temper the pindi chhole using a few ingredients along with desi ghee. The method for this will be mentioned later.
How to go about the Pindi Chhole recipe? Follow the steps
Soak the Kabuli chana or chickpeas overnight in enough water. Drain out the water and transfer the chickpeas into a pressure cooker in the morning. Also, add the cooker tea bags, cinnamon stick, cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, and half a teaspoon of salt. (The measure for the ingredients will be according to the measurements mentioned earlier).
Adding water to the pressure cooker, cook for five whistles. Once the steam in the pressure cooker settles down, remove the lid and the teabags from the cooker.
Now prepare the spice powder:
Dry roast cumin seeds, coriander seeds, shahi jeera, black pepper, fennel seeds, Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), cloves, pods of cardamom, and whole red chili. Roast these spices over low flame until the aroma starts, then switch off the flame and let the spices cool down. Once the herbs are excellent, blend them three to four times so that it converts into a fine powder. Add turmeric, dried mango powder, pomegranate (anaar) powder, and heeng (asafoetida) to this powder. Mix everything well. The masala is ready. Keep it aside.
Making Pindi chhole:
Heat about nine tablespoons of oil in a large kadhai pan, sautee the bay leaves and add chopped onions, ginger-garlic paste, and green chilies. Stir and saute till the onions turn golden brown. Then add the prepared chana masala (spice powder), and saute everything on low flame till the mixture turns aromatic.
Then add chopped tomatoes, and cook the tomatoes till the oil starts separating and tomatoes turn mushy. Add the boiled Kabuli chana (chickpeas), add salt as per taste, and adjust the consistency by adding more water if you wish. Although Pindi chhole is not supposed to be too watery, it has a thick gravy consistency.
Cover the pan and let everything cook for fifteen minutes on low flame to absorb the spices. After this, mash a few pods of chickpeas in the pan.
Only the tempering has to be done, and your Pindi Chhole will be ready. For that purpose, do the following:
In a small pan, heat three tablespoons of desi ghee, add green chilies (three to four), add two third teaspoon red chili powder, and two to three inches of grated ginger. Turn off the flame and saute everything so that nothing gets burnt. Now, pour this over the cooked Pindi Chhole and garnish the Pindi Chhole with coriander leaves.
Your Pindi Chhole is ready. Eat it with naan or bhatura to savor it at its best!!
