Recipe
The Perfect Punjabi Chole Recipe
An authentic North Indian chickpea curry featuring tender chickpeas simmered in a rich, spiced tomato-onion gravy with aromatic whole spices and tangy notes from dried mango powder and tamarind.
⬇ Jump to the RecipePunjabi Chole, also known as Chole Masala, stands as one of the most iconic dishes in Indian cuisine and a staple in restaurants across North India. This hearty chickpea curry combines perfectly cooked chickpeas with a complex, layered masala featuring whole spices, tangy tamarind, and the distinct flavor of black tea. The dish gets its characteristic dark color and depth from tea, while dried mango powder and pomegranate seeds add a signature tang. When simmered slowly, the chickpeas absorb the rich gravy, creating a dish that's both comforting and bursting with flavor—perfect for serving with bhature, poori, or steamed basmati rice.
Ingredients
For Cooking the Chickpeas
- 2 cups dried chickpeas (kabuli chana), rinsed and soaked 8-10 hours
- 2 black tea bags or 1 tablespoon loose leaf tea
- 1 small bay leaf
- 1 black cardamom
- 4 green cardamoms
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- Salt to taste
- 4 cups water
For the Chole Masala
- 2-3 tablespoons oil or ghee
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 black cardamoms
- 4-5 cloves
- 2 large red onions, finely chopped (reserve some sliced for garnish)
- 1 cup tomato puree or ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes
- ½-1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 inch ginger, julienned (for tempering)
- 2-3 green chilies, slit
- 1-1.5 teaspoons red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons chole masala powder (chana masala)
- 1 teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur)
- 1 teaspoon pomegranate seed powder (anardana)
- 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ tablespoon crushed kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- Salt to taste
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse 2 cups dried chickpeas thoroughly 3-4 times. Soak them in enough water (3-4 cups) for 8-10 hours or overnight. After soaking, drain and rinse again with fresh water.
- Prepare tea by steeping 2 black tea bags in ½ cup hot water for 4 minutes, or boil 1 tablespoon loose leaf tea in 1 cup water for 2-3 minutes, then strain. Set aside to cool.
- Add soaked chickpeas to a pressure cooker along with 2 cups water, the prepared tea, bay leaf, black cardamom, green cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Pressure cook on medium heat for 5-6 whistles (or 13-16 minutes in an Instant Pot) until chickpeas are soft but not mushy. Let pressure release naturally. Remove and discard whole spices if desired. Reserve the cooking liquid.
- Heat 2-3 tablespoons oil in a ceramic deep pan over medium heat. Add bay leaves, black cardamoms, and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Add finely chopped onions and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until they turn golden brown.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds until the raw aroma disappears.
- Add tomato puree, salt, slit green chilies, red chili powder, and turmeric powder. Mix well, cover, and cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften and oil begins to separate from the masala.
- Add chole masala powder, dried mango powder, pomegranate seed powder, sugar, and tamarind paste. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes to allow the spices to bloom.
- Add the cooked chickpeas along with 1-1.25 cups of the reserved cooking liquid. Stir well to combine the chickpeas with the masala. Add more water if you prefer a thinner gravy.
- Cover the pan and simmer on medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This slow simmering allows the flavors to meld together. Use the back of your ladle to mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pan to naturally thicken the gravy.
- In a small pan, heat 1 tablespoon ghee. Add julienned ginger and fry until golden brown but not burnt. Pour this tempering over the chole.
- Add crushed kasuri methi, garam masala, and sliced raw onions. Stir well, cover, and let rest off the heat for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with bhature, poori, naan, or steamed basmati rice.
Notes
The dark color of authentic Punjabi chole comes from black tea, which also adds depth to the flavor. If chickpeas remain slightly hard after the first pressure cooking, cook for 1-2 more whistles—they should be soft enough to mash easily. Adjust the consistency by adding more reserved cooking liquid or water as needed. For best results, allow the chole to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving, as this helps the flavors settle. Leftover chole tastes even better the next day. You can substitute canned chickpeas to save time, but the flavor will be less authentic. Cooking with ceramic cookware, such as a ceramic deep pan or ceramic Dutch oven, ensures even heat distribution and helps prevent sticking, perfect for slow-simmered curries like this.
FAQs
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Q: Why do we add tea to Punjabi chole?
A: Black tea gives Punjabi chole its characteristic dark color and adds a subtle depth of flavor and slight astringency that balances the richness of the curry. It's a traditional technique used in authentic Amritsari-style chole. -
Q: Can I use canned chickpeas instead of dried?
A: Yes, you can use canned chickpeas to save time. Drain and rinse them well, then add them directly to the masala and simmer for 15-20 minutes. However, cooking dried chickpeas from scratch with tea and spices provides a more authentic flavor and better texture. -
Q: How do I make the gravy thicker?
A: To thicken the gravy, simmer the chole uncovered on low heat to allow excess liquid to evaporate. You can also mash some of the chickpeas against the side of the pan with a ladle—this releases starch and naturally thickens the curry while maintaining texture.
Conclusion
This authentic Punjabi Chole recipe brings restaurant-quality flavors to your home kitchen. The combination of slow-simmered chickpeas, aromatic whole spices, and the signature tang from tamarind and dried mango powder creates a dish that's deeply satisfying and full of complex layers. Whether you're serving it for a special occasion with bhature or enjoying it as a comforting weeknight meal with rice, this chole masala is sure to become a favorite in your recipe collection.
