Pindi Chole Recipe – The Secret to Dark & Flavorful Chole

This pindi chole recipe is delicious, with a dry texture and coated in numerous Indian masalas. It’s made with boiled white chickpeas, which are cooked with warm spices without any onion or tomato gravy. Whether you’re looking for a healthy lunch, a weeknight dinner, or a good lunch pack, this is the perfect recipe to try!

About Pindi Chole

First, we break down what makes pindi special. It’s a famous food of North India, especially in Rawal Pindi village in Punjab, so the dish gets its name from there. Although chana masala or Punjabi chole are also main chickpea dishes, this pindi chole hits different.

When I was in 12th standard, one of my friends took this chole for lunch with plain paratha and poori once a week. She said it was sukhe chole, and I thought the same until I learned the real name: pindi chole.

Although it’s a dry dish, considering it sukhe chole is also a good choice. Now I will tell you the secret behind their darker color. They coat every legume with masala and, most importantly, are easy to prepare.

This Punjabi pindi chole has many variations, made in a gravy style or as a dry dish, where adding black color or a normal yellow color is an individual’s choice.

I like to make them black, for which I use tea water instead of a tea bag. Why tea water? Because it helps darken the color properly; if I use a tea bag, I feel it doesn’t work like that.

I add that tea water while boiling chickpeas, then reserve the water and simmer the pindi chole. So, my recipe includes simmering in boiled water so that it absorbs all the flavour and becomes deep black.

However, after adding all the masala, sauté for a minute; that chole is a normal way to make it. So, it’s totally up to you how you want to make them.

If you try my version, it totally gives you an authentic taste with minimal effort.

Ingredients

• Chickpeas- Raw or canned chickpeas; both are good. If using raw chickpeas, soak them in water overnight, then boil. If you use canned chickpeas, wash them in clean water and use them directly.

• Tea- I like to make the tea water by boiling it, but tea bags also work well. It helps to darken the color of the chole.

• Whole spices- Cloves, black cardamom, bay leaf, and cinnamon add warmth and depth.

• Spices- Chana masala, garam masala, coriander powder, dried mango powder, turmeric powder, and red chili powder are all added to make them spicy and flavorful.

• Ginger- Some grated ginger helps increase the aroma.

• Green chilies- Used for gentle heat.

• Oil- Mustard oil is used for a traditional flavour; regular cooking oil is also good.

How to make pindi chole recipe

1. Add a cup of raw chickpeas in a big bowl and rinse them twice or thrice in clean water, then soak in enough water overnight.

If you forget to soak them at night, soak them in hot water for at least 4 to 5 hours.

2. The next day, when you see the chickpeas have doubled in size and have changed to a light yellow color.

3. Now prepare a tea by adding 1 cup of water and 2 tsp of leaves in a pan over high heat.

If you’re using tea bags, then skip this step and the next one.

4. Heat it until it comes to a boil, then turn off the flame and strain it into a glass or a bowl.

5. After that, drain the water and add the soaked chickpeas to a pressure cooker with 2 black cardamoms, 2 bay leaves, 2 cloves, one cinnamon stick, and 1/2 tsp salt.

6. Then add that tea water and one cup of extra plain water to the chickpeas.

7. Now close the cooker lid and cook on high heat for 6 to 7 whistles, then turn off the flame.

8. When the pressure is released, check the chickpeas by pressing with your fingertips; they are soft and tender. If they are not cooked, cook again for two more whistles.

9. Transfer the cooked chickpeas to a strainer and reserve the water in a separate bowl. We will use it later.

10. Heat oil in a kadai with 1 tsp grated ginger and 2 sliced green chilies.

11. When they start to splutter, add the spices: 1 tsp dried mango powder (amchur), 2 tsp coriander powder, 2 tsp chana masala, 1 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp red chili powder.

12. Mix all the spices well and sauté for a minute.

13. After a minute, add the boiled chickpeas to it.

14. Now mix the chickpeas with the masala and sauté for a minute so they absorb all the spices properly.

Note: Here the recipe is ready if you want a quick one, but if you want a deeper flavour, follow the further steps.

15. Next, add the reserved tea water and mix well with the chickpeas.

16. Now simmer it on low to medium heat until the chickpeas absorb the water.

17. When all the water is absorbed, turn off the heat. It roughly takes 8 to 10 minutes.

Serve this pindi chole hot with simple phulka, plain paratha, bhatura, and kulcha along with a side of raita. You can enjoy them with dal and rice as a side meal; they are also a good pack for a long trip.

Pro Tips

• Soaking is the main part of this recipe; the longer chickpeas are soaked, the faster they cook.

• For a signature dark color, follow steps 3 to 4; for a normal color, swap these steps with a tea bag or pomegranate seeds powder.

• Avoid adding too much water while cooking; boiled water is enough to coat the masala evenly over the chickpeas. Make sure to simmer the chickpeas until the water dissolves.

• If you don’t want to simmer the pindi chole with water, skip steps 15 to 17. But from my experience, cooking with water helps to get a deeper, more authentic taste of chole.

• For the best taste, let the pindi chole rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Looking for more Indian main course recipes, try these: Rajma Masala, Kadhi Pakora, Kofta Curry, Kala Chana Curry, and Matar Paneer.