Photo: Tracy Hunter · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Punjab · Lunch

Chole Masala

Amritsar-style black-tinged chickpeas slow-cooked with whole spices and tea bags for deep colour, in an intensely aromatic tangy gravy — the definitive Punjabi chole that powers every dhaba from Amritsar to Chandigarh.

🧺 Ingredients

• 300g kabuli chana (white chickpeas), soaked overnight
• 2 black tea bags (for colour)
• 1 black cardamom
• 3 large onions (300g), finely chopped
• 4 large tomatoes (400g), chopped
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1-inch ginger
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp chole masala (store-bought or homemade)
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp pomegranate powder (anardana) or amchur
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Salt to taste

👩‍🍳 How to make Chole Masala

1. Drain soaked chana.
2. Pressure cook with 700ml fresh water, tea bags, black cardamom, and 1 tsp salt — HIGH heat, 8–9 whistles.
3. Chickpeas turn beige-grey from tea.
4. Remove tea bags.
5. Beans should be completely soft.
6. Blend onions, garlic, ginger to a smooth paste.
7. Separately blend tomatoes.
8. Heat oil on HIGH.
9. Add cumin seeds — splutter 30 sec.
10. Add onion paste — fry on HIGH 10 min until golden-brown and oil separates.
11. Add tomato paste — cook MEDIUM-HIGH 8 min until masala turns thick and dark, oil pools at sides.
12. Add chole masala, chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric — fry 2 min on MEDIUM.
13. Add cooked chickpeas with cooking liquid.
14. Simmer LOW 10 min.
15. Add anardana, garam masala.
16. Mash 10% of chickpeas for gravy thickness.

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