Amritsari Chole

Description

 * Ethnicity - Punjabi, North Indian
 * Type of meal - Party, Lunch, Dinner

To Boil

 * 250 grams chole (chickpeas)
 * 1 teabag (this is used to give the black colour)
 * 4 – 6 pieces kali ilaichi
 * salt to taste
 * 1 teaspoon black salt ( use as desired or mix half of white salt and half of black salt)
 * 3 – 4 green chillies - finely chopped
 * 2 – 3 tomatoes - finely chopped
 * 1 piece ginger - finely chopped
 * 2 – 3 tsp green coriander - finely chopped
 * 1 onion - finely chopped
 * ½ tsp mango powder (aamchur)
 * 1 tbsp garam masala
 * red chilies to taste
 * 2 tsp dry coriander
 * 100 gms ghee
 * 2 pieces bay leaves

Dry Spices (masala)

 * ½ teaspoon garam masala
 * 6 pieces clove
 * 1 piece cinnamon
 * 1 tsp black pepper
 * 1 tsp jeera
 * 1 tsp coriander seeds
 * 2 tsp anardana

Directions

 * 1) Soak chole (chickpeas) in water to soak overnight.
 * 2) Take a pressure cooker ( or use a normal vessel for boiling) and add Chole, tea bag, salt and Black Elaichi and add lots of water and boil for 10 minutes in the pressure cooker (30 minutes in a normal vessel). DO NOT OVERCOOK .If you overcook chole it will end up like a starchy paste.
 * 3) After cooking discard the teaback.
 * 4) On a Tava or a frypan, roast all dry masala and make a rough powder out of that and keep aside.
 * 5) In a separate pan heat oil and add bayleaves and then fry the onions till golden brown.
 * 6) Add garam masala and tomatoes and fry and then add all the chole ( keep the water separately ) in the pan and mix well for 2 minutes.
 * 7) Add the dry masala which you have already roasted on a pan.
 * 8) Add water in which you boiled the Chole earlier.
 * 9) Let it bring to a boil and then let it simmer for 10 minutes.
 * 10) If the curry looks too thick then add some water.
 * 11) Mash some of the chole by pressing it with a spatula to give it a thick consistency like thick cream.
 * 12) Garnish it with chopped coriander. Green chillies halves.
 * 13) red onions soaked in vinegar are an excellent accompaniment with chole.
 * 14) Serve with rice, or Bhature.

Tips

 * 1) The chole which you eat in the shops have slightly blackish colour.
 * 2) This can be achieved in many ways at home.
 * 3) While boiling the choles add teabags ( 1 or 2 ) to add the slightly black colour.
 * 4) Add 2 -3 drops of soya sauce while you finished the cooking( DO NOT add more than this otherwise the taste will be overshadowed with soya sauce flavour)
 * 5) While Preparing the dry masala, Roast them till they start getting burnt and turn black.