Traditional Amritsari Chole with Fresh Chole Masala

Amritsari Chhole

Ingredients:

Chickpeas / Chhole - 1.5 cup
Cinnamon stick - 1/2 inch

Bay leaf - 1

Dry red chillies - 4

Black cardamom - 3

Cloves - 2

Black peppercorns - 18

Tea leaves - 1 tsp

Ginger (sliced) - 1.5 inch

Garlic cloves - 4

Salt - 1.5 tsp

Green chilies - 4

Coriander seeds - 1.5 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Mango powder - 1 tsp

Carom seeds - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 3 tbsp

Onion (finely chopped) - 3 (medium size)

Tomato - 2 (medium size)

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - 1 tbsp

Kashmiri red chili powder - a pinch

Method:

1. Soak Chole in enough water for 8 hours or overnight

2. In a cotton cloth keep cinnamon stick, bay leaf, 2 dry red chilies, 1 black cardamom, cloves, 8 black peppercorns, tea leaves

3. Tie them in a knot

4. In a pressure cooker add chhole, 1-inch sliced ginger, 1 garlic clove, knot of masalas, 1 tsp salt, water double the quantity of chhole.

5. Cook on high flame for 1 whistle

6. Lower the flame and cook for 4 whistles

7. In a mortar pestle add 1/2-inch ginger, 3 garlic cloves, 2 green chilies, 1/4 tsp salt

8. Make a coarse paste

9. In a pan add coriander seeds, 3/4 tsp cumin seeds, 2 black cardamoms, 10 black peppercorns, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 dry red chilies and dry roast everything

10. Add hing, mango powder, carom seeds and roast for a minute

11. Transfer to a grinder jar and grind to a fine powder

12. Chole masala is ready. Keep it aside

13. In a kadahi add 2 tbsp oil

14. When oil is hot, add 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste, onion and saute until golden brown in colour

15. Add 1.5 tbsp chole masala and cook for a minute

16. Add tomato puree of fresh tomato, cook for a while

17. Keep adding little of boiled chole water and cook until it gets dark brown in colour

18. Add boiled chole with chole water and simmer for 5-7 minutes

19. Add remaining chole masala, ghee and mash 1/4 quantity of chole

20. Add coriander leaves and mix well

21. In a small pan add 1 tbsp oil, 2 slit green chilies, 1/2-inch ginger julienned and a pinch of kashmiri red chili powder

22. Saute for 30 seconds

23. Transfer the prepared chole in a serving dish and garnish with tempering and a coriander sprig 

24. Serve hot with kulcha or naan or poori or bhature