Punjabi Chole Recipe is an Indian curry made using chickpeas (chole), onions, tomatoes, and Indian spices. It is one of the most popular curries in North Indian cuisine. Make it in one pot using my easy recipe in a stovetop pressure cooker or instant pot.
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About Punjabi Chole (Chana Masala)
Chole (Chana) is chickpeas in Hindi and masala is a curry made using onion, tomato, and spices. Chole Masala (Chana Masala) is a spicy Indian curry made using chickpeas that is very popular in Punjab and Delhi regions.
It is a must-make dish for all festivals, Indian weddings, parties, and get-togethers. Chole Bhature (fried puffed bread) is a very popular combination and is a comfort food for many Indians. Some homes even have the ritual of making this combination for Sunday lunches.
Punjabi chole is listed on the menu of most Indian restaurants and although you can order them from outside, the taste of homemade chole is unmatchable.
Each home has its own recipe to make chole. Some make it with onions and garlic and some make it without. Some people add chole masala powder and some don’t. Some cook the soaked chole and then add them to the masala and some, like me, cook them all together.
My recipe to make this Punjabi chole curry is one-pot, uses basic ingredients, and comes together quickly. You get the curry that is dark in color, spicy tangy, and full of flavors.
This recipe is vegetarian and can be easily made vegan and gluten-free.
Double or triple if making it for a crowd.
Chana Masala can be made in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker or an instant pot. Just make sure to use a bigger pressure cooker or instant pot if scaling it. The time of cooking will remain the same.
Here are some more chole recipes that you may like
Ingredients
This curry needs some very basic ingredients which are easily available in all Indian grocery stores.
Chickpeas (Chana, Chole, Garbanzo Beans) – This recipe is traditionally made using dry chickpeas that are soaked in water and then cooked with a spicy masala.
To save time, you can use canned chickpeas as well.
Black Tea (Chai Patti) – This is the trick to getting dark-colored chickpea curry. You can use loose black tea or tea bags.
Some people use dry amla (gooseberry) to darken their chole curry.
Whole Spices – You will need some whole spices such as cloves (laung), black cardamoms (badi elaichi), green cardamoms (hari elaichi), and cinnamon (dalchini).
Crush them a little in a mortar and pestle for the best flavor.
Spice Powders – To flavor up the curry, you will need chole masala powder, coriander powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder (jeera powder), and anardana powder (pomegranate seeds powder).
I use Everest brand chole masala powder but you can use any brand that you like.
Anadrana powder gives a tangy taste to this Punjabi chole recipe and is traditionally added. But if it is not available easily, then skip it and add some more tamarind paste once the chole curry is ready.
Kasuri Methi – Kasuri methi adds a nice rustic flavor. I make my own Kasuri Methi at home but you can use a packet too.
Oil – Make this curry in vegetable oil, mustard oil, or ghee.
Others – You will also need onions, ginger garlic paste, grated fresh tomatoes, baking soda, tamarind paste, and salt.
Baking soda helps cook the chole very nicely.
Tempering – Although optional, a ghee tempering at the end makes this curry even more extravagant.
You will need ghee, asafetida (hing), fresh ginger, and green chillies.
Skip adding asafetida for a gluten-free curry.
Replace ghee with oil for a vegan curry.
How To Make Chole Masala
Soak The Chickpeas
Wash 1 cup (7 oz, 200 g) of dried white chickpeas with water and soak them in 3-4 cups of water for 4-5 hours.
Drain the water and wash them well once more. Drain and keep aside.
Brew The Tea
Heat 2 cups of water in a pan over medium heat.
Once the water comes to a boil, add 2 teaspoon of loose black tea leaves (or 2 teabags) and cook for a minute. You can skip this step if you don’t care about the color of the curry.
Strain the tea using a tea strainer and keep it aside.
Make The Chole Curry
In A Traditional Pressure Cooker
Lightly crush
- 2-3 cloves
- 1 black cardamom
- 2-3 green cardamoms
- 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
in a mortar and pestle.
Heat 5 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the crushed spices and fry for 4-5 seconds.
Add 1 cup of grated onions and cook until they turn slightly brown in color, stirring frequently (8-10 minutes). Splash a little water if the paste sticks at the bottom of the cooker.
Add 2 teaspoon of ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes or until the raw smell is gone.
Now add 1 cup of grated tomatoes and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
Add
- 2 tablespoon of chole masala powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon anardana powder (optional)
and cook until the oil starts to separate from the sides (1-2 minutes).
Now add the
- soaked chole
- tea water
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup of plain water
to the cooker and stir gently.
Close the lid of the cooker.
Pressure cook for 1 whistle on high heat. Then reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.
Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes.
Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid of the cooker.
Add 1 tablespoon of Kauri methi and 1 teaspoon tamarind paste and mix well.
Slightly mash the chole using the back of a ladle for a super creamy texture of the curry.
Check for salt and add more if needed.
If the chole are not tangy enough, then add a teaspoon or two of tamarind paste, dry mango powder (amchur powder), or lime juice and mix well.
In An Instant Pot
Press the SAUTE mode of the instant pot.
Follow the recipe until adding the chole and water.
Close the lid of the instant pot and set the valve to the sealing position.
Now press PRESSURE COOK mode and set the timer to 20 minutes at high pressure.
The instant pot will take some time to build the pressure and the timer to start.
Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.
Open the lid and add 1 tablespoon of Kauri methi and 1 teaspoon tamarind paste and mix well.
Slightly mash the chole using the back of a ladle for a super creamy texture for the curry.
Check for salt and add more if needed.
If the chole are not tangy enough, then add a teaspoon or two of tamarind paste, dry mango powder (amchur powder), or lime juice and mix well.
Temper The Chana Masala (Optional)
Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee for tempering in a small pan over medium-high heat.
Once the ghee is hot, add
- ½ teaspoon asafetida
- 2-3 green chiles (slit into half)
- 1 teaspoon ginger juliennes
and fry for 10-12 seconds.
Pour the tempering over the chole and mix well. Serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
If using canned chickpeas to make this curry, prepare the masala as mentioned in the recipe in a regular pan over the stovetop. Add the drained and rinsed canned chole and cook the curry for 10-15 minutes on low heat uncovered. Adjust the quantity of water as needed. For 1 cup of dry chole, you will need 2 cans of chickpeas.
Yes, if you prefer to avoid onions and garlic, you can make chole without them. Just skip adding them to the recipe.
Absolutely! The spice level in chole can be adjusted to suit your taste. You can increase or decrease the amount of chili powder or add fresh green chilies for extra heat. Adjust the spices according to your preference.
No, garam masala is a very strong blend of whole spices and is added in very small quantities to enhance the taste of curries while chole masala powder is a spice mix that is milder and has some extra ingredients added to enhance the taste of chole curry specifically.
Pro Tips By Neha
If you forgot to soak chickpeas, then soak them in boiling hot water for about an hour or two. I usually soak them in a hot case to even fasten the soaking process.
Always slightly overcook the chickpeas. They should very easily press in between your fingers.
Tea is optional, but if you need that dark color in your chole curry, then you must use it. Never use tea bags directly in the cooker as they might burst inside the cooker.
Slightly mashing a few chickpeas, once the curry is ready, makes the curry very creamy.
If anardana is not available, you can use lemon juice, tamarind pulp, or dry mango powder in its place.
I like the consistency of my Punjabi chole masala on the drier side. You can choose to add more water to make the gravy thinner.
Serving Suggestions
Chole curry can be served for brunch, breakfast, dinner, or lunch with Poori, Naan, Garlic Naan, or Bhatura.
You can also serve Punjabi chana masala with Plain Tawa Paratha, Lachha Paratha, Phulka, Steamed Rice, or Jeera Rice.
I sometimes add it over my Aloo Tikkis and then top it with some coriander mint chutney, sweet tamarind chutney, finely chopped onions, and sev to make chaat.
Storage Suggestions
Punjabi Chole will last in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. If you are storing in big quantities, reheat only the amount you need, as reheating, again and again, will decrease its shelf life.
If you feel the curry has become a little dry after refrigeration, add in a little water and give it a mix.
You can also freeze the Punjabi chole masala curry for up to 3 months. When ready to use, defrost on the counter and then reheat.
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Recipe Card
Punjabi Chole Recipe
Ingredients
To Soak The Chole
- 1 cup dried chole (white chickpeas, garbanzo beans) (7 oz, 200 g)
For The Tea Water
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons loose black tea leaves (chai patti) (or 2 tea bags)
For The Curry
- 2-3 cloves (laung)
- 1 whole black cardamom (badi elaichi)
- 2-3 whole green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick (dalchini)
- 5 tablespoons any neutral-flavored cooking oil (or mustard oil, ghee)
- 1 cup grated onions
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- 1 cup grated fresh tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons chole masala powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon anardana powder (pomegranate seed powder) (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon Kasuri methi
- 1 teaspoon tamarind paste (plus more if the curry is not tangy enough for your taste)
For The Tempering (Optional)
- 1 tablespoon ghee (use oil for vegan recipe)
- ½ teaspoon asafetida (hing) (skip for gluten free)
- 2-3 green chilies (slit into half)
- 1 teaspoon julienned ginger
Instructions
Soak The Chickpeas
- Wash chickpeas with water and soak them in 3-4 cups of water for 4-5 hours.
- Drain the water and wash them well once more. Drain and keep aside.
Brew The Tea
- Heat water in a pan over medium heat.
- Once the water comes to a boil, add tea leaves and cook for a minute. You can skip this step if you don’t care about the color of the curry.
- Strain the tea using a tea strainer and keep it aside.
Make The Chole Curry
In A Traditional Pressure Cooker
- Lightly crush cloves, black cardamom, green cardamoms, and cinnamon in a mortar and pestle.
- Heat oil in a 3-liter stovetop pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the crushed spices and fry for 4-5 seconds.
- Add onions and cook until they turn slightly brown in color, stirring frequently (8-10 minutes). Splash a little water if the paste sticks at the bottom of the cooker.
- Add ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes or until the aw smell is gone.
- Now add tomatoes and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
- Add chole masala powder, coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, and anardana powder, and cook until the oil starts to separate from the sides (1-2 minutes).
- Now add the soaked chole, tea water, baking soda, salt, and 1 cup of plain water to the cooker and stir gently.
- Close the lid of the cooker.
- Pressure cook for 1 whistle on high heat. Then reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes.
- Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid of the cooker.
- Add Kauri methi and tamarind paste and mix well.
- Slightly mash the chole using the back of a ladle for a super creamy texture of the curry.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- If the chole are not tangy enough, then add a teaspoon or two of tamarind paste, dry mango powder (amchur powder), or lime juice and mix well.
In An Instant Pot
- Press the SAUTE mode of a 3-quart instant pot and follow the steps until closing the lid.
- Close the lid of the instant pot and set the valve to the sealing position.
- Now press PRESSURE COOK mode and set the timer to 20 minutes at high pressure.
- The instant pot will take some time to build the pressure and timer to start.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.
- Add Kauri methi and tamarind paste and mix well.
- Slightly mash the chole using the back of a ladle for a super creamy texture for the curry.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- If the chole are not tangy enough, then add a teaspoon or two of tamarind paste, dry mango powder (amchur powder), or lime juice and mix well.
Temper The Chana Masala (Optional)
- Heat ghee for tempering in a small pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the ghee is hot, add asafetida, green chiles, and ginger juliennes and fry for 10-12 seconds.
- Pour the tempering over the chole and mix well. Serve hot.
Mini
Very nice in taste but I think I need to try it out with bhatura. Any suggestion?
Neha Mathur
Here is my perfect bhatura recipe for you
https://www.whiskaffair.com/bhatura-recipe/
Anurag Dayal
Just made the Chole. Did not add the tomato as I dont like tomato and also the soda as the chole were already cooked. Made in a karahi not cooker but the taste is wonderful.
Swetha krishna
The best recipe. Didn’t have anardhanna but still tasted heavenly.
Thank you so much for giving such a wonderful recipe.
Neha Mathur
happy to hear 🙂
Vishakha
It was so easy to follow.. And delicious too ❤
Neha Mathur
Happy to hear 🙂
Juhi
Loved the recipe turned out really well
Neha Mathur
Thanks for trying 🙂
Vasuda Bhaskar
Followed the recipe to the T and it was a hit. Turned out perfect ????
Many thanks ????
Neha Mathur
Thanks for trying 🙂
Zahra
Hi,
Question for you, you’ve measured your chole in ‘cup’, would you know how many grams = 1cup?
Many Thanks
Neha Mathur
It will be approx 200 g.
Meera
Love this recipe. Easy to follow instructions and turned out very delicious. Thank you!❤️
Neha Mathur
Thanks for trying 🙂
Prem
Very good recipe Neha! Enjoyed making it and the family loved it. Tastes awsm the next day. Goes brilliantly with chapatti or puris. Didn’t have anardhana power
Many thanks
Neha Mathur
Thanks for trying 🙂
Deep chatterjee
Today I tried the recipe, however I couldn’t find anardana Powder in market,instead I used anardana pachak Goli found a substitute for chole masale.
Believe me chole was amazing, even texture and colour was perfect, Taste was yum. I have used couple of small potatoes in cooker Just in case,we need thicker gravy.but it was not required as texture is perfect as mentioned in recipe.iI enjoyed the potato pieces as it is. Even used small quantity of cooked chole for chat with curd.
I am thankful for sharing original recipe.
Neha Mathur
Good to know 🙂
Akamsha Bipin
Thanks Whiskaffair for sharing this recipe. I had very little confidence that i could prepare decent chole. Thanks for instilling confidence in amateur cooks like me that we too can cook 🙂
Love
Akamsha
Neha Mathur
Thnx for trying Akamsha. Let me know what I can improve to get 5 star from you.