Punjabi Chole | Punjabi Chana Masala | Chickpeas Curry

Punjabi Chole is perhaps one of the most popular vegetarian north-Indian dish. Creamy, spicy and slight tangy, this dish is a party in your mouth! To make this dish, Chickpeas, also called Garbanzo beans or Chana (in Hindi), are soaked overnight to re-hydrate, and then cooked with fresh onions, ginger, garlic and seasoned with a unique spice blend. Almost everyone I know has their own spin on Chole, and they all taste great, but what makes Punjabi Chole different and stand out, is the unique combination of garam masala, Anardana (Pomegranate) Powder, and amchur (dry mango powder), which gives it an earthy and slightly tart taste!

Different Cooking Processes

For the longest time, my Mom used to make Chole in a 2-step process. She would pressure cook the chickpeas with salt and turmeric for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, she would prepare the onion and aromatics masala, and then simmer everything together for another 10 minutes on medium heat. Years ago, when my kids were babies, and I had very little time to cook, I developed this recipe, which cut down the time and steps involved, while maintaining the same lip-smacking taste.

Serving Suggestion

Punjabi Chole are best enjoyed with a deep-fried puffed flour bread, called Bhatura (check out my recipe for Bhatura). Growing up, Chole-Bhature used to be our regular Sunday brunch.  This happens to be my kid’s favorite Indian vegetarian meal, and it has now become a tradition in our home, to make it for our Diwali dinner.  We like to enjoy it with some sweet and spicy lemon pickle . Yum! Chole also go really well with Kulcha, Puri, Naan or Cumin rice.

Chole or Chickpeas, take a very long time to cook on the stove-top. It would take around 45-50 mins to achieve the soft texture that we love in this recipe. Plus, you have to be there, stirring and keeping an eye on the stove. So, using my electrical pressure cooker, Instant Pot, or any stove-top pressure cooker, works great for this recipe and reduces the active cooking time significantly.

How to make this recipe in under 30 minutes

By using Canned Chickpeas, you can reduce the cooking time to less than half. Simply rinse out the canned chickpeas and add them to the pot as per instructions, and pressure cook everything for 6-8 minutes. Wait 10 minutes before releasing the pressure manually, open lid and you’re done!

Punjabi Chole | Punjabi Chana Masala vs. Chana Masala

These days, I often find, that restaurants use both these names interchangeably, but in my opinion, there is a difference in taste and spices used for these two dishes. In my family, Punjabi Chole/Punjabi Chana Masala is referred to the popular street food preparation found in Punjab and New Delhi. It’s distinguishing factors are a dark-brown curry or gravy, and a slight tart flavor, which is achieved by cooking Chole with a combination of dry-mango powder and dry pomegranate seeds powder. There is no turmeric and very little tomato used in this dish. Chana Masala on the other hand, is a tomato-onion rich gravy, with reddish-orange curry, that is a result of adding turmeric, red-chili powder and tomato puree. That being said, both taste awesome, so no matter which one you make, you can’t go wrong!

Make it a Meal with these Sides that pair well with Punjabi Chole

Aloo Gobhi (Spiced Cauliflower & Potato)

Coconut Green Beans & Carrot

Cumin rice (Jeera Rice)

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Punjabi Chole | Punjabi Chana Masala | Chickpeas Curry

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

Punjabi Chole is perhaps one of the most popular vegetarian north-Indian dish. This creamy, spicy and slight tangy dish is made with chickpeas, also called Garbanzo beans or Chana (in Hindi), that are soaked overnight to re-hydrate, & then cooked with fresh onions, ginger, garlic and seasoned with a unique spice blend.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 128 kcal

Author: Spice Cravings

Ingredients

• 1 cup chickpeas rinsed and soaked for 8-10 hours or 1 14oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 2 teaspoon ghee or refined olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste : 1 inch ginger+6-7 cloves garlic, ground in food processor
• 1 medium onion sliced thin
• 2 green chillies stem removed
• 1 roma tomato de-seeded and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder
• 2 teaspoon garam masala add more, depending on how strong yours is
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon amchur (dry mango powder)
• 1 teaspoon anardana (pomegranate powder)
• 1 teaspoon fennel powder : optional, adds flavor and for easy digestion
• 1 black-tea bag for color (English Breakfast/ Indian Tea, it's optional)
• 1.5 cups water add more, depending on your consistency preference

Garnish:

• 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
• Light squeeze of lime juice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Rinse and soak dried chickpeas or garbanzo beans in about 4 cups of water, overnight, or at least 8-10 hours. Strain and rinse them once again before cooking. Alternatively, use canned chickpeas/garbanzo beans. Rinse them out and strain them as well.

2. Heat ghee/oil on SAUTE mode in the instant pot, about 30 seconds, add cumin seeds. When cumin begins to splutter, add onions, ginger, garlic, and saute for a minute. Add chopped tomatoes and saute another minute. Add spices, chickpeas and water. Optionally, add one black-tea bag (English breakfast or any Indian tea bag). The addition of tea-bag gives great color to the curry. Close the lid, vent set to 'sealing', and pressure cook for 30-35 minutes at Bean or Manual mode. The time variation depends on how soft you like your chickpeas to be. I cook them for 35 minutes. If you're using canned chickpeas, reduce the cooking time to 6-8 minutes.

3. Wait for the pressure to release naturally and open the lid after the pin drops. Remove the tea-bag. Using a potato masher or a wooden spoon, mash up a few beans. This makes the curry creamy and thick. Garnish with cilantro and a light squeeze of lime juice. Serve with Bhatura, Kulcha, Puri, Naan, or Basmati rice!

4. Click here for Bhatura Recipe

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

If you are new to the Instant Pot, please read my FAQ on Instant Pot Terminology and Accessories to learn more.

 

Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates.  If you are following any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition Facts

Punjabi Chole | Punjabi Chana Masala | Chickpeas Curry

Amount Per Serving

Calories 128 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4g 6%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Cholesterol 6mg 2%

Sodium 671mg 28%

Potassium 236mg 7%

Total Carbohydrates 18g 6%

Dietary Fiber 5g 20%

Sugars 4g

Protein 4g 8%

Vitamin A 4.5%

Vitamin C 12.4%

Calcium 5.1%

Iron 12.3%

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

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