Pindi chole/chana is a dish from the state of Punjab. It is one of the easiest and scrumptious dish. Everyone in my family loves Chole in any form with bhatura, poori, lachha paratha or even just with jeera rice. 

But Pindi chole is very easy to cook as it doesn’t require Bhunoing the ingredients or grinding. Trust me it is that simple and yet so amazing. Have a look at the recipe and you will know how effortless it is.

Print Recipe

Pindi Chole/Chana Recipe

Course

Breakfast, Main Dish

Cuisine

Indian

Prep Time

8 hours

Cook Time

30 minutes

Passive Time

30 minutes

Servings

3-4 people

Ingredients

• 250 gms White Chana/chole/chickpeas (soaked overnight)
• 1 large onion (finely sliced)
• 2 small-medium tomatoes (finely sliced/roughly chopped)
• 1 inch Ginger julienne
• 1-2 small green chilies (sliced)
• 1 tbsp tea leaves
• 1-2 dry amla
• 2-3 green cardamom
• 1-2 black cardamom
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 2-3 cloves
• 1 tsp ajwain
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp ajwain powder
• 1/2 tsp amchoor powder
• 1 tsp anardana powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp chana masala
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tbsp ghee/clarified butter
• Salt as per taste
• Water as required

Course Breakfast, Main Dish Cuisine Indian Prep Time 8 hours Cook Time 30 minutes Passive Time 30 minutes Servings 3-4 people Ingredients 250 gms White Chana/chole/chickpeas (soaked overnight) 1 large onion (finely sliced) 2 small-medium tomatoes (finely sliced/roughly chopped) 1 inch Ginger julienne 1-2 small green chilies (sliced) 1 tbsp tea leaves 1-2 dry amla 2-3 green cardamom 1-2 black cardamom 1 inch cinnamon stick 2-3 cloves 1 tsp ajwain 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp ajwain powder 1/2 tsp amchoor powder 1 tsp anardana powder 1/2 tsp garam masala powder 1 tbsp chana masala 1/2 tsp cumin powder 2 tbsp ghee/clarified butter Salt as per taste Water as required

Instructions

1. Take a muslin cloth, add tea leaves, dry amla, green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon stick,ajwain and cloves. Tie it into a potli.
2. In a cooker, add soaked(7-8 hours/overnight) chana/chole, potli and enough water to boil the chana. If you want you can add a little salt. Pressure cook it for 7-8 whistles or until it is done.
3. When the chana is boiled. Strain the chana and keep the water aside to use it later. Do not throw away the water.
4. In the same pressure cooker, add boiled chana, layer it with sliced onions, tomato, ginger, green chillies.
5. Now spread all the masalas- red chilli powder, coriander powder,ajwain powder, cumin powder, anardana powder, amchoor, garam masala,chana masala and salt. Make sure to not switch on the stove in step 4 and 5.
6. Add smoking hot ghee over the masalas and cover the cooker for 10 mins so that the flavors are absorbed on dum.
7. After 10 mins, switch on the stove on medium to low flame. Add the strained water. Mix well and let it cook for 10-15 mins or until the onions and tomatoes are cooked nicely.
8. Serve hot with the choice of your bread or rice.

Directions to prepare the recipe

1. Take a muslin cloth, add tea leaves, dry amla, green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon stick,ajwain and cloves. Tie it into a potli.
   
2. In a cooker, add soaked(7-8 hours/overnight) chana/chole, potli and enough water to boil the chana. If you want you can add a little salt. Pressure cook it for 7-8 whistles or until it is done.
   
3. When the chana is boiled. Strain the chana and keep the water aside to use it later. Do not throw away the water.
   
4. In the same pressure cooker, add boiled chana, layer it with sliced onions, tomato, ginger, green chillies.
   
5. Now spread all the masalas- red chilli powder, coriander powder,ajwain powder, cumin powder, anardana powder, amchoor, garam masala,chana masala and salt. Make sure to not switch on the stove in step 4 and 5.
   
6. Add smoking hot ghee over the masalas and cover the cooker for 10 mins so that the flavors are absorbed on dum.
7. After 10 mins, switch on the stove on medium to low flame. Add the strained water. Mix well and let it cook for 10-15 mins or until the onions and tomatoes are cooked nicely.
   
8. Serve hot with the choice of your bread or rice.