Amritsari Chole is a spicy and flavorful dish from the Amritsar region of Punjab. They taste absolutely amazing with butter naan!
What is Amritsari Chole?
Amritsari Chole is a spicy and delicious chickpea dish that is very popular in Amritsar, a region of India. They say if you have been to Amritsar and never tried Amritsari Chole with Amritsari Kulcha than you have missed a lot.
Traditionally, the large size chickpeas, known as Kabuli Chana are used to make this dish. The spices and aromatics, when combined with boiled chickpeas, topped with coriander leaves, and ginger juliennes make it is a must-try dish.
Ingredients Needed to make Amritsari Chole
- Chickpea: White large chickpeas, canned, or dried.
- Whole Spices: Cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, star anise, cloves.
- Tomato: To add some tangy flavors.
- Onion, Ginger, and Garlic: Adds texture and base into the gravy.
- Spices: Red chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala, amchoor, and chana masala.
- Coriander leaves: Adds a nice flavor in the dish.
How to make Amritsari Chole
Step 1. Boil the washed and soaked chickpeas with tea bags and salt until soft. You can cook it either in pressure cooker or pot.
Step 2. Make the tempering by sauteing onion, ginger, garlic with spices and tomatoes. Cook the base of gravy until oil is separated.
Step 3. Finally, add the cooked chickpeas in the gravy base and let it simmer for a few minutes or until the desired consistency of the gravy is achieved. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this super delicious Chole with Naan bread, Kulcha, Paratha, or Poori. You may also pair it with rice as well.
Other Chickpea Recipes
- Under 30 minutes Chana Masala and Naan Recipe (+ Video)
- Dahi Aloo Chana Chaat
- Chole Masala|Punjabi Chana Masala
- Chole Bhature
- Butternut Squash Chickpea Stew with Couscous
Looking for more such lunch recipes to get some ideas for your meals? Do not miss my Chole Bhature and Soya Chaap Masala and the best one’s Dal Palak.
*If you ever try this recipe don’t forget to share your photos with me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or tag me on Instagram @cookingwithsapana using the hashtag #cookingwithsapana and stay connected* I would love to see your creations from my space!!
Amritsari Chole
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 300 gm white chickpea/Kabuli Chana
- 3 medium-sized onion grated
- 8-10 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup ginger grated
- 5 tomatoes chopped
- 4-5 green chilies slits
- 2 tea bag or 1/2 cup tea
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds ground
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves
- 1/2 cup oil
- water as required
- 1/2 cup coriander leaves chopped
Whole spices
- 1 black cardamom
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4-5 cloves
- 1- star anise
- 4-5 peppercorn
Spices
- 2 tablespoon chana masala/chole masala
- 1 tablespoon dried mango powder/Amchur
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilly powder
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and soak white chickpea in enough water (about 5 cups ) for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- Boil the chickpea awith 2 tea bags and a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of oil, and all the whole spices. Cook for 5-6 whistles in a pressure cooker. If using a saucepan cook until chickpeas are sofy..
- Heat oil in a big wok, add cumin seeds and kasuri methi . Sauté for 1 minute.
- Add garlic and ginger, stir it in oil and add onion and green chilly slits. Sauté till nicely golden in color.
- Now add all spices and salt, mix well.
- Add chopped tomatoes and cook till oil comes out from edges. Frequent stirring is required.
- Transfer the cooked chickpeas over the masala along with the water. Let it cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes till all spices and masala are mixed together and a nice thick gravy formed.
- Garnish with coriander and ginger sticks.
- Serve hot with Butter Naan or Poori.
Notes
- You may use canned chickpeas as well.
- Use a pinch of baking soda to make the chickpea cook fast and soft.
Nutrition
This post was originally posted in 2013, since then I have updated the pictures and content for better engagement.
Always let me know how these recipes turned out in the comments below and give a ★ rating. I will be so excited to hear how you enjoyed your Amritsari Chole and please do share your tips and tricks with me.
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Best Regards,
Sapana Behl
I love chole …. Love this flavor and specially punjabi style
Thanks Preeti !
Just need some rotis or naans to enjoy this fingerlicking chole..Drooling here.
So sending with naan through your way…
Looking delicious….will try them your way…:)
Sure Dear ! Thanks ..
perfect look of Punjabi chole. looks delicious.
Thanks Dear!
like the use of star anise, such an underutilized spiced, in this flavorful chole
Thanks Mir ! I love it's flavor …
Delicious amritsari chole Sapana. Love it with chapathi.
Thanks Swathi ..
Looks soo yummy, delicious and tempting Sapana 🙂
Thanks Nilu…
lovely chicpea's ..i must say…tis is fav of my other half…..
Same with me ! Thanks dear..
Mmmmh dear it seems so yummi and delicious, I like so much Indian food *-*
Whata bout following each other via GFC and Bloglovin? Just let me know!
Xxx
Carolina
http://www.the-world-c.blogspot.com
Thanks Carolyne!
Hi Sapana, This chicpea dish looks so delicious. Wish I can try some 🙂
Thanks for following me on my blog. I'm following you in return and also Bloglovin.
Thanks Dear!
Mouth watering recipe Sapana 🙂
Thanks Radha!
That chole looks so delicious.
Thanks Jaya !
that is mouth watering and finger licking good!!!
Sowmya
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Thanks Sowmya !
yummy dish Sapana ! and..feel free to drop by my space too when you get the time. Just jotted some handy tips on "sane motherhood" on my "Picks quicks" blog. Hope you will be a follower there. lets keep connected beyond the kitchen as well….
Thanks Sona ! I already did follow you there !
Lip smacking good! !!! I can have these as such as a snack! !!
Thanks Priya !
This looks so tasty, especially with some butter naan, irrestible.
Thanks Dear !
mouthwatering delicious curry
Thanks Preeti !
Hmm, I have made Chhole a few times but never with anise. In fact I have never bought or used star anise in anything. I must get it someday. Would want to test if it makes a difference to the taste!
Use it once and you will get a nice aroma !
The way you have done looks authentic…awesome…
Thanks Shanti !!
Love this combination, the chhole looks so inviting..with butter naans the pair would have been so yum!
Such a flavorful chole.. Looks yumm!!
I like the masalas you have used in chole.., though I hardly use tomatoes ..bookmarked the recipe for making chole next time.
A flavorful looking chole 🙂 Love this with naan or roti !!
Yum. I love this. The flavours are awesome.
A couple of rotis, and I could lap up the entire bowl :-)) love Chole. and ur version looks authentic !
Kalyani
Sizzling Tastebuds
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Must be very flavorful with all those spices!
Thanks Dear !