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Punjabi Chola


Punjabi Chola

Ingredients:

 1 can of garbanzo beans, which is approximately 2 cups of boiled chola
Red onions – 1 medium chopped
Tomatoes – 1.5 chopped.
Garlic – 4-5 cloves
Ginger – 1 inch
Bay leaves – 1
Black cardamom – 1
Cloves – 2-3
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Anardana (Dried Pomegranate seeds) – grind 1.5 tsp in a coffee grinder (amount varies as per your taste)
Dhaniya powder – 1.5 tsp
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Dried fenugreek leaves – 1 tbsp
Cumin powder – 1 tsp (it unroasted ground cumin)
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil for cooking – 2-3 tbsp

Method:

  1. I used canned garbanzo bean, so it was quick. If you want to use raw beans, then you need to soak overnight and pressure cook with tea bags to get that black/tan color which is typical of Punjabi channa. Pressure cook until the beans are soft and not mushy. It takes 4-4 whistles in my pressure cooker.
  2. Strain the garbanzo beans and keep it aside.
  3. Roughly chop onions, tomatoes, garlic and ginger. (I pressure cook everything, so no need to fine chop or grind in a mixer)
  4. Heat oil in pressure cooker, add cumin seeds, and let it crackle. Reduce the heat, add bay leaves, black cardamom, cloves. The spices should not burn.Give a quick stir and chopped ginger and garlic. Again give a quick stir and add chopped onions. Saute’ for 1 minute and add chopped tomatoes.
  5. Add some salt and pressure cook the above mixture up to 3-5 whistles. Next release the pressure and cook the above mixture till it starts releasing oil. Try to mash the big pieces of tomatoes, garlic, ginger and onion by the back of the ladle while cooking it.
  6. Add dhania powder, turmeric powder, dried fenugreek leaves and mix. The mixture should not burn, so adjust the heat accordingly.
  7. Add the boiled garbanzo beans and stir to mix properly.
  8. Add anardana powder at this step.
  9. Add water depending on the desired thickness of the gravy.
  10. Add more salt and adjust for seasoning and cook covered at low heat or pressure cook one more time at high heat for 1 whistle and release the pressure immediately
  11.  Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and ready to serve with poori or bhatura or naan bread.

Note: As you must have noticed that I did not add any gram masala or readymade channa masala. I liked the taste of my chola without it. Annardana added that extra zing which makes it taste unique. If you want, you can add channa masala at the step when you adjust for seasoning.

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