Punjabi Chole (vegan, healthy, gluten-free)

Punjabi Chole also known as Amritsari Chole are chickpeas cooked in a onion tomato gravy with Indian spices.

Growing up, my mom made Punjabi Chole all the time. Even now when I visit NJ, she asks me what I wanna eat, and I always respond, “chole.” I made Chole with my mom once and she made enough for 20 people. It wasn’t fun to say the least because she didn’t measure anything.

If you’ve been watching me cook on Instastories, you know I’ve made Punjabi Chole quite a few times. I finally got around to perfecting this dish by blending the onions and tomatoes (separately) rather than chopping the ingredients. Blending both ingredients yields in a thicker gravy consistency that I love.

What distinguishes Punjabi Chole or Amritsari Chole apart from other chole recipes is the dark brown color. This is attained by adding tea leaves to the uncooked chickpeas while boiling them. It makes the dish all the more appetizing.

My husband whom you all know is so fussy about eating Indian food loved my Punjabi Chole. He enjoys his chole with naan, while I enjoy mine with brown rice as you can tell. Hope you guys give this classic Punjabi dish a try and pair it with some raita (cilantro mint yogurt) too. Enjoy!

punjabi chole / amritsari chole is:

Vegan
Gluten-Free
Healthy
Aromatic
High in Fiber
Delicious
Tangy
Slightly Sweet & Spicy

How to make Punjabi Chole step by step?

1. Soak 1 cup chickpeas overnight in lots of water, about 5 cups. Once done, drain and rinse the chickpeas. The next day – in an InstantPot, add 1 cup of soaked chickpeas, 3 1/2 cups of water, and the remaining ingredients for the chickpeas/chole. Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 15 minutes, natural release 10 minutes.

2. In the meantime, prep the remaining ingredients. Blend the onions not all the way, just enough to be very finely chopped, I just used my 4-cup Cuisinart.

3. Chop the garlic, ginger, and green chilies, Set aside. Also, puree/blend the tomatoes.

4. Get your spices ready – coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, and pomegranate powder (anardana).

5. Once the chickpeas are done, release the valve and then open the InstantPot. Hit CANCEL. This is what you should have. Discard the tea bags.

Cook

6. Heat a cast-iron dutch oven, once hot, add oil followed by cumin seeds.

7. Add the blended onions. Cook for 7-8 minutes on medium heat, or until browned.

8. Add the ginger, garlic and green chilies, Cook for 1 minute.

9. Add the pureed tomatoes. Mix. Cook for 5-6 minutes without a lid.

10. Then cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes on low-medium heat.

11. Add a 1/4 cup of water to the tomato mixture and cook for a couple minutes.

Add spices & simmer

12. Now add all the spices we set aside – coriander, cumin, turmeric, red chili powder, and pomegranate powders. Season the tomato mixture with salt at this time.

13. Now just add the chickpeas to the tomato mixture (DO NOT DISCARD THE CHICKPEA WATER). Cook for a minute.

14. Add 3 1/2 cups of chickpea water, this should be dark brown.

15. Mix. Cover and simmer on low-medium heat for 20 minutes. Turn off the stove.

16. Add garam masala and mango powder.

17. Add tamarind too.

18. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro leaves. Mix. Wait 10 minutes before serving so the flavors marry together.

Enjoy!

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5 from 9 votes

Punjabi Chole (vegan, gluten-free, healthy)

Punjabi Chole is also known as Amritsari Chole are chickpeas cooked in an onion tomato gravy with Indian spices.

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Course Curry, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword Chickpeas, Chole

DietVegan, Gluten-Free, Healthy

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 270kcal

Author Nisha

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Ingredients

for the chickpeas

• 1 cup uncooked chickpeas
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1 black cardamom moti elachi
• 3 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 black tea bags I like Wagh Bakri
• 1 inch stick cinnamon
• 4 peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

for the gravy

• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• One large red onion blended
• 1 1/2 inch piece ginger finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• 3 plum tomatoes blended
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 3 1/2 cups chickpea water from the instant pot
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp red chili powder your preference
• 1 tsp pomegranate powder anardana
• 1/2 tsp mango powder amchoor
• 1 tbsp tamarind not concentrate
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Instructions

• Soak 1 cup chickpeas overnight in lots of water, about 5 cups. Once done, drain and rinse the chickpeas. The next day - in an InstantPot, add 1 cup of soaked chickpeas, 3 1/2 cups of water, and the remaining ingredients for the chickpeas/chole. Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 15 minutes, natural release 10 minutes.
  
• In the meantime, prep the remaining ingredients. Blend the onions not all the way, just enough to be very finely chopped, I just used my 4-cup Cuisinart.
• Chop the garlic, ginger, and green chilies, Set aside. Also, puree/blend the tomatoes.
• Get your spices ready – coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, and pomegranate powder (anardana).
• Once the chickpeas are done, release the valve and then open the InstantPot. Hit CANCEL. This is what you should have. Discard the tea bags.
• Heat a cast-iron dutch oven, once hot, add oil followed by cumin seeds.
• Add the blended onions. Cook for 7-8 minutes on medium heat, or until browned.
• Add the ginger, garlic and green chilies, Cook for 1 minute.
• Add the pureed tomatoes. Mix. Cook for 5-6 minutes without a lid.
• Then cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes on low-medium heat.
• Add a 1/4 cup of water to the tomato mixture and cook for a couple minutes.
• Now add all the spices we set aside - coriander, cumin, turmeric, red chili powder, and pomegranate powders. Season the tomato mixture with salt at this time.
• Now just add the chickpeas to the tomato mixture (DO NOT DISCARD THE CHICKPEA WATER). Cook for a minute.
• Add 3 1/2 cups of chickpea water, this should be dark brown.
• Mix. Cover and simmer on low-medium heat for 20 minutes. Turn off the stove.
• Add garam masala and mango powder.
• Add tamarind too.
• Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro leaves. Mix. Wait 10 minutes before serving so the flavors marry together.

Nutrition Facts

Punjabi Chole (vegan, gluten-free, healthy)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 270 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 487mg21%

Potassium 560mg16%

Carbohydrates 38g13%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 676IU14%

Vitamin C 12mg15%

Calcium 128mg13%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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