Amritsari Chole: Your Soul-Satisfying Chickpea Hug 😊 🍳

Ingredients 🥄

2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
4 cups water, plus more as needed for cooking the chickpeas
2 black cardamom pods
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
2 green chilies, finely chopped (adjust to your spice preference!)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon anardana powder (dried pomegranate seed powder)
1 teaspoon chole masala
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (optional, for extra heat)
2 tomatoes, pureed
Salt to taste
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Instructions 📋

First, drain the soaked chickpeas and rinse them well. In a pressure cooker or large pot, combine the chickpeas with 4 cups of water, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, and bay leaves. Pressure cook for about 20 minutes (or until the chickpeas are soft and easily mashed) or simmer in a pot for about 1-1.5 hours until tender. If using a pot, you may need to add more water during cooking.
Once the chickpeas are cooked, remove the whole spices (bay leaves, cinnamon stick, black cardamom). Gently mash some of the chickpeas with the back of a spoon to thicken the gravy.
Heat vegetable oil in a large pan or pot. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until golden brown. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and green chilies and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, anardana powder, chole masala, and red chili powder (if using). Sauté the spices for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn them.
Pour in the tomato puree and cook until the oil starts to separate from the mixture. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes.
Add the cooked chickpeas (with the water) to the pan. Season with salt to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together. Adjust the consistency by adding more water if needed.
Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves before serving. Amritsari Chole tastes amazing with Bhature, Naan, or even plain rice! Enjoy, sweethearts!