Chole Masala is often eaten as a breakfast dish, sometimes accompanied with lassi. It can also be street food or a complete meal and may be accompanied by onions, pickled carrots, green chutney, or achaar. One of the most popular dishes at Indian Sub-continent.

Prep time: 08 hours Cooking time: 45 minutes Total: 8:45 minutes Serving: 6 persons

Ingredients:

For Cooking Chick Peas

2 Cups - Dried White Chick Peas Kabuli Chana

2-inch - Cinnamon Stick

4-5 - Black Cardamom

1-2 - Large Bay Leaves

1 teaspoon - Ginger Garlic Paste

4 teaspoon - Black tea leaves or 3 tea bags

1/4 teaspoon - Baking soda, optional

As required - Salt or black salt

For Gravy

1 large - Onion Chopped Finely

3-4 Medium size - Tomatoes Chopped Finely

1 Teaspoon - Chopped Ginger

4-5 - Green chilies

2 teaspoon - Cumin Powder

2 teaspoon - Coriander Powder

2 teaspoon - Fennel powder

2 teaspoon - Dry mango powder (amchur powder)

2 teaspoons - Dried pomegranate powder (anardana powder)

1 teaspoon - Red chili powder

2 teaspoon - Chana masala powder (Secret Ingredient Powder by Chef Phani)

3-4 tablespoon - Oil

As needed some - Julienned ginger

As required - Coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)

Steps:

Cooking Chickpeas

Firstly soak the dried chickpeas overnight in water or for 8-9 hours. The next day pressure cooks the soaked chickpeas adding the whole spices mentioned above with black salt or salt and tea bags or tea leaves wrapped tightly in a muslin cloth. Pressure cook for 8-10 minutes or till the chickpeas is completely cooked. Strain the chickpeas and reserve the stock along with the whole spices. Discard the tea leaves or the tea bags.

Making Onion Tomato Masala:

In a large pan or a large Kadai, heat oil. Add the chopped onions. Fry till golden brown. Add slit green chilies and fry for a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and chopped ginger and saute the tomatoes till they become soft and mushy.

Making Amritsari Chole:

Add the cooked chickpeas (chole) and saute for 5-6 minutes. Add all the spice powders, stir and saute for a minute. Now add the strained stock about 2.5 to 3 cups to the chole. If the stock is less you can add some water. Keep the whole mixture on fire and simmer till the curry thickens a bit. When the gravy thickens, add some julienned ginger to the gravy. Check the salt and seasonings and add more if required. Stir and serve Amritsari chole and garnished with coriander leaves Serve along with bhatura, naan, pooris, or even steamed basmati rice.