punjabi chole

 PUNJABI CHOLE CHOLE BHATURE.... a North Indian delicacy which a huge favourite of all. This is one gravy dish which we usually mess up. The chickpeas should be boiled  first with the whole garam masalas so that the chickpeas get nicely infused with the flavour of the garam masalas. Then it needs to be added to onion tomato gravy. Sounds simple... It is. But the key to get the chole right is to boil the chickpeas for a correct time so that its cooked about 90% and after adding them to the gravy the rest of cooking needs to be done.

To make the Gravy thick and compliment the Bhaturas i just mash a handfull of those boiled chickpeas and add to the gravy. adding the mashed chickpeas gives it a nice texture to be eaten with the bhaturas. on the other side if you wish to keep the gravy runny to be eaten with rice or jeera rice You can skip this step of adding mashed chickpeas.

Ingredients:

White chickpeas(chole)     - 100gms (soaked overnite)

Onions                               - 1 big ( finely chopped)

Tomatoes                           - 2 big ( pureed )

Ginger garlic paste            - 1 tbsp

Oil                                     - 2 tbsp

Green cardamom              - 2 nos

Bay leaf                            - 2 nos

Laung                               - 3 nos

Cinnamon stick                - 1'' piece

Salt to taste

Chilly powder                  - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder             - 1 tsp+1/2 tsp

Chole masala                   - 1 tbsp

Cilantro to garnish

Procedure:

1. Soak the white chickpeas overnight or for 7-8 hours in room temparature. Then boil the soaked chickpeas with 1 bayleaf, cinnamon stick, green cardmom, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp turmeric powder. Boil for 4-5 whistles, let the pressure settle on its own. The chickpeas should be 90% cooked because it needs to be cooked again with the gravy. Don’t drain the water... its the stock and it  is used to make the gravy. Also take out 4 tbsp boiled chickpeas and mash it lightly with a spoon.
2. Take a pan or kadai and heat 2 tbsp oil. Then add cumin seeds and let it splutter then add bayleaf. Stir it and add the ginger garlic paste. Saute it for 1 min then add the chopped onions. Cook it till the onions get a nice light brown colour.
3. Mix the chole masala powder, turmeric powder and chilly powder in 4 tbsps water. Doing this will prevent the masalas from burning. Add this masala mix to the onions and cook for 2 mins.
4. Once the masalas get mixed and cooked with the onions add the tomato puree and salt. Stir and cover it with a lid. Cook it for 6-7 mins. Keep stirring in intervals. When the masala starts leaving sides thats the sign that the masala is cooked perfectly.
5. Now its time to add the boiled chickpeas and the mashed chickpeas in the kadai. After adding the chickpeas stir and cook  it for 2-3 mins. Then transfer the entire contents of the kadai to the same pressure cooker which has the stock in it. Stir and cover with the lid and cook it for 3-4 whistles. Let the pressure settle on it own and open.
6. Sprinkle ½ tsp garam masala and open cook for 1-2 mins.
7. Serve with bhaturas or pooris.

Notes:

1.       If u think that the consistency of the gravy is thick u can add more stock or water.

2.       The no.of whistles in the pressure cooker depends upon the kind of water. Lil hard water requires more whistles and soft water would require lesser no.of whistles. Adjust accordingly.