Pindi chole is a special variation of chole or chana masala in that it doesn’t use any onion, garlic, and tomatoes! This deeply flavorful dish relies on ginger, green chilis, plenty of whole spices, and black tea for its darker color.
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What is pindi chole?
Chole is my favorite Indian dish andthis has to be one of my favorite ways to eat it. This recipe is my aunt’s recipe and it is so flavorful! Pindi chole originates from Punjab, in a town called Rawalpindi. What distinguishes it from other versions of chole or chana masala is it does not use onion, garlic, or tomato. I know, I know, why would you omit ingredients that give food its aroma? Well, pindi chole highlights flavors from other ingredients. The masala is made with a host of whole spices, so while making your own masala is an extra step, it’s so worth it. It also includes black tea and is cooked in an iron pan to intensify its dark color, which I personally find very appealing!
How to Make Pindi Chole Masala
You can either purchase pindi chole masala or you can make your own. If you don’t have all the ingredients in this masala, don’t worry about it. You may not end up with the exact same flavor I did, but I’m sure it will still taste amazing.
To make the masala, dry roast bay leaves, red chilis, cloves, green cardamom, black cardamom, black pepper, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, star anise, and cinnamon. Then add anardana (pomegranate seed) powder, kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), and fenugreek seeds. Process in a small processor with kashmiri chili powder, amchur (dried mango powder), and kala namak (black salt).
How to Make Pindi Chole
Prepare the chickpeas
Soak the chickpeas overnight or for 8 hours to make cook time faster. Then pressure cook with a few whole spices: cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves, black cardamom, black peppercorns, and black tea bags.
Mix ins
In a cast-iron pan if you have one, pour the prepared chickpeas. Mix in the pindi chole masala, thinly sliced ginger and green chilis, and melted vegan butter. The recipe usually uses ghee, but I used butter to make it vegan. Let it sit for 30 minutes before enjoying!
How to serve
With roti, paratha, rice, puri, or bhature! I’ve included my vegan bhature recipe below. Bhature is a fried yogurt-based flatbread. It’s soft and indulgent!
Pindi Chole
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Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 40 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 8
Ingredients
Pindi Chole
- 2 cups dry chickpeas soaked for 8 hours or overnight
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 green cardamoms
- 1 black cardamom
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 2 black tea bags *or 2 tbsp loose-leaf tea in muslin cloth
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tbsp salt + more to taste
- water
- 6 tbsp pindi chole masala
- 2 inch ginger, thinly sliced
- 4 green chilis, halved lengthwise
- 4 tbsp vegan butter, melted
Bhature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup plant-based yogurt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp sugar
- ¾ cup water or until it comes together
- ⅓ cup neutral oil for frying
Pindi Chole Masala
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 dried red chilis
- 10 cloves
- ½ tbsp black peppercorns
- 3 tbsp coriander seeds
- 2 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 green cardamom
- 2 black cardamom
- 3 tbsp anardana (pomegranate seed) powder
- 2 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- ½ tbsp kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tbsp amchur (dried mango powder)
- 2 tsp kala namak (black salt)
Instructions
Pindi Chole
To a pressure cooker, add soaked chickpeas, the whole spices, tea bags, baking soda, salt, and enough water to just cover the chickpeas. Pressure cook on medium-high heat for 3-4 whistles. They should be really soft and tender.
Take out the larger whole spices and the tea bags. Reserve the dark water in the pressure cooker and put only the chickpeas in a cast-iron pan and let them cool down a little.
Add the pindi chole masala, sliced ginger, and green chilis. Rest for 30 minutes. Add most of the reserved water and simmer for 20 minutes on low to medium flame. Lastly, add butter and the rest of the water and let it sit for another 30 minutes…the wait is worth it! Garnish with fresh ginger and cilantro.
Bhature
Add all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar to a bowl. Mix to combine.
Add yogurt and a little water at a time until it comes together.
Fry in neutral oil over medium heat until golden and crisp on both sides.
Pindi Chole Masala
Dry roast (no oil) bay leaves, dried red chilis, cloves, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, star anise, and the cinnamon stick for a few minutes over medium heat.
Add anardana powder, kasoori methi, and fenugreek seeds and combine with everything for a few minutes.
In a spice grinder or small processor, process the spices with kashmiri chili powder, amchur, and kala namak.
Keyword chickpeas, Indian food, Indian recipes
For more variations of chole, check out…
an easier recipe for chana masala
Amritsari chole (similar to pindi chole but fewer spices and includes onion, garlic, and tomatoes!)
