Chole (Chickpea Curry)

Name: Chole (Chickpea Curry)
Cook time: 100 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 300g Dried Chickpeas; 1.8 l Water, enough to soak (about 1 L) and cook (about 750 ml); 1/4 tsp Baking Soda, optional, for softer chickpeas; 1 bag of Black Tea, optional, for deeper color; 3 tbsp Oil, neutral or mustard oil; 2 medium Onions, finely chopped; 5 cloves of Garlic, minced; 1 1/2 thumb (1-inch piece)s of Ginger, grated; 2 Green Chilis, slit; 3 medium Tomatoes, finely chopped; 1 Bay Leaf; 1 inch of Cinnamon Stick; 1 pod of Black Cardamom; 2 pods of Green Cardamom; 4 Cloves; 8 Black Peppercorns; 1 tsp Cumin Seeds; 2 tsp Coriander Powder; 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder; 1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder; 2 tsp Chole Masala Powder; 1 1/2 tsp Amchur, dry mango powder; 1 1/2 tsp Salt, or to taste; 1/2 tsp Garam Masala; 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, fresh, chopped (cilantro); 1 Lemon, cut into wedges

Chole is a robust, spiced North Indian chickpea curry—rich, tangy and deeply aromatic. Slow-simmered chickpeas in a caraway-and-tomato masala develop a comforting, layered flavor that pairs perfectly with rice or flaky flatbreads. Finish with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon for brightness.

Chole is a robust, spiced North Indian chickpea curry—rich, tangy and deeply aromatic. Slow-simmered chickpeas in a caraway-and-to... Show more

Traditional Indian Recipe

Health Grade

A · Excellent

Rating

4.2

Time

1 hr40 min

Price

0,48 €

Calories

221 kcal

vegan

budget

low calorie

healthy

meal prep

gluten free

Method

Soak chickpeas

Rinse the chickpeas well, then cover them with about 1 L of water in a large bowl. Stir in the optional baking soda and the optional black tea bag for deeper color, then soak overnight or at least 8 hours.

Drain chickpeas

Lift out the tea bag, then drain the soaked chickpeas and rinse them well to wash away the baking soda and tea.

Simmer chickpeas

Put the chickpeas in a pot with about 750 ml fresh water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to a steady simmer and cook for 45 minutes, or until the chickpeas are tender enough to mash between your fingers. Add a splash more hot water if the pot starts to look dry.

Prep vegetables

While the chickpeas simmer, finely chop the onions and tomatoes, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and slit the green chilies. Keep each pile separate so the cooking moves quickly.

Toast spices

Heat the oil (neutral or mustard oil both work) in a pot over medium heat. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, black cardamom, green cardamom pods, cloves, black peppercorns, and cumin seeds, then stir for about 1 minute until they sizzle and smell fragrant.

Cook aromatics

Add the chopped onions and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and green chilies, and cook for 2 minutes more until the raw smell fades.

Cook tomato masala

Add the tomatoes, coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, chole masala powder, and salt. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot, for 8 to 10 minutes until the tomatoes break down, the masala looks jammy, and the oil starts to separate at the edges.

Simmer chole

Stir in the cooked chickpeas and enough of their cooking liquid to make a thick, spoonable gravy. Add the amchur and simmer for 15 minutes until the curry is glossy and the chickpeas have absorbed the masala; lightly mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pot if you want a creamier texture. Taste and add a little more salt if needed.

Finish and serve

Turn off the heat and stir in the garam masala. Scatter over the chopped coriander leaves, cut the lemon into wedges, and serve the chole hot with the lemon on the side.