peshawari chole recipe

peshawari chole recipe

ingredients (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

for cooking chickpeas:

• 1 cup dried white chickpeas/chole/kabuli chana
• 2.5 cups water for pressure cooking
• 2 black cardamoms/badi elaichi
• 1 inch cinnamon/dal chini
• 2 to 3 cloves/lavang
• 2 small or 1 medium to large tej patta/indian bay leaf
• 3 to 4 pieces of dried amla or 1 black tea bag
• ½ tsp salt or as required

for making the gravy:

• 70 grams onion or ⅔ cup finely chopped onions, about 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 100 grams tomatoes or 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes or 3 medium to large tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 to 1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste or ½ inch ginger + 4 to 5 garlic crushed to a paste in a mortar-pestle
• 2 to 3 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp pomegranate seeds powder/anardana powder or 1 tsp amchur powder. crush about ½ tsp dried roasted pomegranate seeds in a mortar-pestle or in a spice grinder. for more tang add 1 tsp more of anardana powder
• ½ tsp red chili powder/lal mirch powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder/jeera powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder/dhania powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• ½ cup stock or water
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves for garnish
• salt as required

to be served with:

• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 medium lime or lemon, quartered or sliced

how to make the recipe:

pressure cooking chana:

1. soak 1 cup dried white chickpeas overnight in water or for 8 to 9 hours. drain and rinse them.
2. in a cooker take the chickpeas, black cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and tej patta along with dried amla. if you do not have dried amla, then either skip it completely or you can add 1 black tea bag.
3. add 2.5 cups water. pressure cook the chana for 10 to 12 whistles or till the chana have softened and completely cooked.

prepping:

1. powder 1 tsp lightly roasted pomegranate seeds in a small grinder or mortar-pestle to a fine powder.
2. finely chop the onions and tomatoes. also crush the ginger and garlic to a paste in a mortar-pestle. slit the green chilies and chop the coriander leaves.

preparing peshawari chole gravy:

1. heat 2 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp ghee or 3 tbsp oil in a pan.
2. add 1 to 1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste and 2 to 3 slit green chilies. saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
3. then add ⅔ cup chopped onions. stir and saute the onions on a low to medium flame till they turn golden.
4. then add 1 cup chopped tomatoes
5. add the spice powders - ½ tsp red chili powder, ½ tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder.
6. mix very well and saute till the tomatoes become mushy and you see fat releasing from the sides of the masala.
7. now add the cooked chana. reserve the stock. stir very well.
8. add the pomengranate seeds powder. substitute 1 tsp dry mango powder if you do not have anaradana powder.
9. add ½ cup stock or water. i made a semi dry version, but you can have more gravy by adding 1 cup water.
10. season with salt. stir very well and simmer the chana masala till the gravy thickens. mash a few chickpeas which helps in thickening the gravy. about 12 to 14 minutes on a low to medium flame.
11. lastly add 1 tsp garam masala powder. stir and mix very well.
12. serve peshawari chole masala hot with some chapatis, naan, pooris or bhatura.

notes

substitutions:
1) dried amla - 1 black tea bag or 1 tsp black tea tied in a muslin.
2) pomegranate seeds - 1 tsp dry pomegranate seeds powder or 1 tsp dry mango powder or 1 tsp lime juice. you can also add as required and add lime juice towards the end.
3) garam masala powder - chana masala powder
4) red chili powder - cayenne pepper, add as required