From Wagha Border to our Hyd Kitchen.....Amritsari Chole

Amritsari Chole (Serves - 4)

Prep time: 2 hrs

Pulses:

Chickpeas- 1 cup  (soaked overnight)

Vegetables:

Onions- 2 nos (finely chopped)

Tomatoes- 2 nos (Finely Chopped)

Green Chillies- 2 nos (Finely Chopped)

Ginger- 2 spoons(finely chopped)

Garlic- 1 spoon (Finely chopped)

Ginger garlic paste- 1 spoon

Herbs:

Coriander leaves- 1 cup ( Finely chopped)

Spices:

Whole Spices:

Black cardamom- 2 nos

star anise- 2 nos

green cardamom- 10 nos

red chillies- 3 nos

Fennel seeds- 2 spoons

Cumin seeds- 1/2 spoon

Bay leaves- 3 nos

Cinnamon sticks- 2

Powdered spices:

tea powder- 1 spoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 spoon

Chole masala- 3 spoons ( Chole Masala is a blend of Coriander, Dry mango, cumin, black pepper, black salt, common salt, dried pomegranate seeds, mustard and turmeric)

Common Salt- as per your taste

Ghee- 2 spoons

Method:

Step 1- Preparing the chickpeas:

Take a muslin cloth or a clean kerchief and make a tea bag with the following spices:

Black cardamom- 1 green cardamom -5, Cinnamon stick- 1, bay leaf- 1, Star anise- 1 and tea powder- 1 spoon.

Boil the chick peas lid on along with twice the quantity of water, the tea bag and some salt for a minimum of 1 hour or until the chickpeas are cooked.

Note: Do not discard the flavoured water once the chick peas are cooked, let the chickpeas sit in the same water until the remaining preparation is done.

Step 2 – Flavouring Ghee

Take a frying pan and add 2 spoons of ghee , gently heat it on a low heat and add all the remaining whole spices. Once ghee gets the flavour of all the spices add chopped ginger, garlic and ginger garlic paste and let it cook.

Then add the chopped onions and cook it until translucent, then add the tomatoes and cook it until the tomatoes are mushy. Now the onion tomato spice mix for the chole is ready.

Step 3- Preparing Chole

To the onion tomato spice mix add the boiled chickpeas along with some of the flavoured water. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and 3 spoons of Chole masala and salt to taste. Let it simmer with lid on. 20 min later Chole is ready.

Step 4- Serving

Serve chole with Jeera rice or Bhatura or Amritsari Paratha and some pickled veg.