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.
Ingredients
For Boiling
- 1 cup white chickpeas/canned chickpeas
- 2 cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon
- 2 black cardamoms
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp tea leaves/tea bag
- 2 cups water
For Cooking
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2 sliced green chilies
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp dried mango powder (amchur)
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp chana masala
- ¼ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup reserved water
Instructions
- Rinse the white chickpeas in clean water and soak them in a bowl with enough water overnight.
- The next day, drain the water when you see the chickpeas have doubled or changed color.
- Now add water with tea leaves in a pan over high heat.
- Heat it until it comes to a roaring boil, then strain it into a bowl.
- Add the drained, soaked chickpeas to a pressure cooker with bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and salt.
- Then add the water, plus one extra cup of plain water.
- Now pressure cook over high heat for 6 to 7 whistles or until the chickpeas are soft.
- When the pressure drops, check that the chickpeas are pressed easily; if yes, then transfer them to a strainer and reserve that water.
- Now heat oil with ginger paste and green chilies.
- When they start to splutter, add all the ingredients mentioned in the cooking section except water.
- Mix and saute all together for a minute.
- Now add the boiled chickpeas and mix with the masala well for a minute.
- Next, add the reserved water and simmer over medium heat until absorbed.
- It takes 10 to 12 minutes for the water to absorb fully.
- Then turn off the flame and serve hot.
Notes
- Soak the chickpeas overnight in water for faster cooking.
- For a darker color, use tea water instead of a tea bag.
- Simmer the chole in the reserved water until it absorbs.