Authentic Punjabi Chana MasalaVeg

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Experience the authentic taste of North India with this easy-to-follow Authentic Punjabi Chole Masala. These tender chickpeas are slow-cooked in a rich, tangy, and aromatic onion-tomato gravy, finished with a fragrant ghee tadka. Perfect for serving with bhature or rice!

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Make Authentic Punjabi Chole Masala with this easy recipe. Tender chickpeas in a rich, tangy, spiced gravy, finished with a fragrant ghee tadka.

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Soak one cup of dried Kabuli Chana in water for to 10 hours.

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Drain the water and place the chickpeas in a pressure cooker.

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Add water (about 2.5 cups), a bay leaf, black cardamom (slightly opened), cinnamon stick, cloves, and salt.

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Pressure cook for 5-6 whistles on medium flame. Once the pressure releases naturally, open the cooker and remove the whole spices.

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Blend onions, ginger, green chilies, and garlic into a smooth paste using a mixer.

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Heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida. Once the seeds crackle, add the onion-ginger-garlic paste with two tablespoons of water.

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Sauté until the raw smell disappears and the paste is well-cooked.

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Blend tomatoes with 8-10 boiled chickpeas to create a thick paste. Add this to the pan along with two tablespoons of water.

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Add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, black salt, dry mango powder (or pomegranate seed powder), garam masala, roasted/crushed Kasuri methi, and chole masala powder.

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Cover and cook the masala on medium-low heat for 5-6 minutes. Afterward, cook on medium-high heat while stirring continuously until the oil separates from the edges and the masala stops sticking to the pan.

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Add the boiled chickpeas to the prepared masala and mix well. If you prefer a thinner gravy, add warm water at this stage.

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Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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Once the chole reach the desired consistency, turn off the heat and garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves.

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For the final tempering (tadka), heat a tablespoon of ghee in a small pan. Fry green chilies (slit) and ginger juliennes until fragrant, then remove from heat and stir in a pinch of Kashmiri red chili powder.

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Pour this hot tempering over the prepared chole, mix gently, and serve.