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June 25, 2019 27 Comments

Punjabi Chole (vegan, healthy, gluten-free)

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Punjabi Chole also known as Amritsari Chole are chickpeas cooked in an onion tomato gravy with Indian spices.
Punjabi Chole (vegan, healthy, gluten-free)

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.
Punjabi Chole (vegan, healthy, gluten-free)

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.
Punjabi Chole (vegan, healthy, gluten-free)

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.
Punjabi Chole (vegan, healthy, gluten-free)

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 (vegan, healthy, gluten-free)

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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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.
5 from 16 votes
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 15 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Diet Vegan, Gluten-Free, Healthy
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 270kcal
Author: Nisha

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

Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 487mg | Potassium: 560mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 676IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @honeywhatscooking or tag #honeywhatscooking!

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Filed Under: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Healthy-ish Meals, Indian, Instant Pot, Main Course, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: Recipes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anu says

    June 26, 2019 at 11:57 am

    5 stars
    Nish – I made this last night and it was soooooo good. Sunil and the kids loved it. Thanks for a great recipe.

    Reply
    • honeywhatscooking says

      June 30, 2019 at 8:49 pm

      Hi Anu – I’m so glad you hear that. Thanks for sending me a picture. xoxo

      Reply
  2. Bill says

    July 13, 2019 at 8:04 pm

    Hello Nish- could you help me in clarifying step 1? It says after soaking chickpeas overnight in 5 cups of water, to rinse and drain. In adding the chickpeas to the instant pot with remaining ingredients. I’m just unclear how much water to cook chickpeas with, is it the 5 cups soaking water? Thank you I can’t wait to make this.

    Reply
    • honeywhatscooking says

      July 13, 2019 at 11:45 pm

      Hi Bill. Sorry for the confusion, I just corrected it. Yes soak the chickpeas over night in 5 cups of water, or more.
      The next day – add 1 cup of chickpeas with 3.5 cups of water in an Instant Pot and cook it.
      Hope that clears it up.

      Thanks!

      Reply
  3. Rekha says

    July 14, 2019 at 12:18 am

    5 stars
    Made this for my mom and she loved it thanks!

    Reply
    • honeywhatscooking says

      July 18, 2019 at 1:29 am

      Thanks Rekha. Appreciate it.

      Reply
  4. Kavita Singh says

    September 2, 2019 at 9:18 am

    5 stars
    This recipe was great! Such easy steps and my family loved it when I served it for my daughters first Pooja! Thanks Nisha!!

    Reply
    • honeywhatscooking says

      October 7, 2019 at 2:45 am

      I’m so glad to hear that Kavita. That’s so sweet.. so glad to hear that. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Darlene says

    December 5, 2019 at 11:39 am

    Hi Nisha Didi, I only have tamarind concentrate if I use this in the recipe will it be okay?

    Reply
    • honeywhatscooking says

      December 8, 2019 at 4:14 am

      Hi Darlene – That works – I would taste it after using 1 tbsp and see how it tastes. Hope that helps.

      Reply
  6. Nea says

    June 18, 2020 at 5:25 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Nisha! I tried this recipe for Chole and it turned out so amazing! The taste and texture of gravy is sooo on point!! Thanks for sharing!! I am specially a fan of the step by step pictures which gives you a clear idea of what to look out for. Thanks once again!

    Reply
  7. Priya says

    June 26, 2020 at 9:58 am

    5 stars
    This is a fantastic recipe! A little time consuming but totally worth it. I omitted a few ingredients that I didn’t have and it still turned out amazing. The flavors are deep, rich and satisfying. I’ll always use this recipe to make chole.

    Reply
  8. Chandni P. says

    July 11, 2020 at 9:23 pm

    5 stars
    The best chole I’ve had in my life. Definitely will be making this on the regular.

    Reply
    • honeywhatscooking says

      July 12, 2020 at 6:52 am

      Thanks so much for your kind comment, Chandni. xoxo

      Reply
  9. Aasheekaa says

    October 26, 2020 at 10:05 pm

    5 stars
    So delicious and flavorful – love the tea bag trick 😊

    Reply
  10. Jaya says

    November 16, 2020 at 9:26 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! I loved the tea bag trick. We will definitely be making this again. Thanks Nisha!

    Reply
  11. Ankita says

    November 17, 2020 at 2:57 pm

    5 stars
    This was such a delicious recipe! Nisha’s recipe was easy to follow and the chole came out perfect! 🙂 The flavors are rich and felt like a hug in a bowl especially in the winter time! I will be making this again for sure!

    Reply
  12. BC says

    April 12, 2021 at 8:24 pm

    If I don’t have an Instantpot, how would you instruct me to proceed with Step 1? Thank you!

    Reply
    • honeywhatscooking says

      April 13, 2021 at 12:19 am

      Hi, You should then use a pressure cooker. I’m not sure about the whistles and all, but I would google how to make chole in a pressure cooker – complete that part. You can follow the rest of my recipe. Sorry! I don’t have a pressure cooker.

      Reply
  13. Rajni Sud says

    July 12, 2021 at 5:26 pm

    Hi Nisha, hope you can give me a quick answer as I want to make Punjabi chole using your recipe. I however want to use canned chickpeas; so say for 4 servings, what size can should I use? I have a 28 oz can in liquid. Will this amount work with your measurements here? Reading your recipe, I cup channa seems very little to make 4 servings.. Pls respond asap. Thank you very much! I know you are spending quality time with your family in NJ so I am doubly appreciative and grateful. Thank you. 🙏🌷

    Reply
    • honeywhatscooking says

      July 12, 2021 at 10:55 pm

      HI Rajni. No problem. For 4 servings – a 28-ounce will work, but you may have to double the masala. 28 ounce can is roughly 3 cups of chana so I would double the recipe. If you decide to go with 1 can then leave the recipe as is.

      I will check my recipe again for 1 cup chana – there is also additional liquid being added so that’s why I said 4 servings. You can always increase this amount to 1.5 cups of chana.

      Hope this helps.

      Reply
      • Rajni Sud says

        July 14, 2021 at 9:07 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
  14. Divya says

    August 31, 2021 at 11:48 am

    5 stars
    Made this for my husband with vegetable pulao,he loved it

    Reply
  15. Nitasha says

    December 28, 2021 at 6:49 am

    5 stars
    I made this for my family and they absolutely loved it! This recipe was so easy to follow and the instructions were so thorough. Thank you Nisha for sharing such wonderful recipes!

    Reply
  16. Sonal says

    January 26, 2022 at 6:55 pm

    Hands down the best chole recipe ever!! After many chole recipe trial & error…I have found my go-to recipe now. Everyone in my family loves it!! Thanks Nisha!

    Reply
  17. Karthika says

    April 13, 2022 at 9:10 am

    5 stars
    I just tried out this. The chole tasted amazing! Will be using this recipe whenever I make Punjabi chole in the future. Thank you for sharing the recipe!

    Reply
  18. Nikita says

    May 1, 2022 at 5:19 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely perfect chole (per my Punjabi husband and MIL). Beautiful color and the flavors were spot on, as per usual. Thanks for this one!

    Reply

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