Chikkar Chole

Ingredients

• 250 g Dried chickpeas (kabuli chana) (Soak overnight or 8 hours; drain and rinse. Reserve the cooking liquid.)
• 150 g Potato (Halved before pressure cooking)
• 1 Bay leaf
• Cooking soda (1 pinch; optional, added while pressure cooking to soften the chickpeas)
• Salt (To taste; used while pressure cooking and again for seasoning)
• 0.333 cup Curd
• 200 g Onion (Finely chopped)
• 15 g Ginger (Finely chopped, plus extra for julienne garnish)
• 2 Green chilies (Chopped, plus 2 additional chilies slit for the tadka)
• 20 g Mustard oil
• 0.5 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tsp Red chili powder
• 2 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 tbsp Chana masala
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp Ghee (For the tadka)
• 1 tsp Kasuri methi (For the tadka)
• Hing (asafoetida) (1 pinch, for the tadka)
• Water (Enough to cover the chickpeas for pressure cooking, plus a splash for blending)
• Coriander leaves (To finish)

Steps

1. 1

   Soak the dried chickpeas in water overnight, or for about 8 hours. Drain and rinse them well.

2. 2

   Place the soaked chickpeas, halved potato, bay leaf, a pinch of cooking soda if using, salt, and enough water to cover in a pressure cooker.

3. 3

   Pressure-cook on high for about 4–5 whistles, then simmer for 5 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally.

4. 4

   Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the cooked potato, 1 tablespoon of the cooked chickpeas, the curd, and a splash of water to a mixer or blender. Blend until thick and silky smooth.

5. 5

   Heat the mustard oil until smoking hot.

6. 6

   Add the finely chopped onion, chopped ginger, and 2 chopped green chilies. Cook until the onion turns golden.

7. 7

   Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and chana masala. Mix well and cook for a few minutes.

8. 8

   Pour in the blended curd mixture. Stir and cook over low heat until the oil begins to separate from the gravy and the raw flavors disappear.

9. 9

   Add the remaining cooked chickpeas together with all of their cooking liquid.

10. 10

    Season with salt and the sugar. Simmer over low heat for a few minutes until the gravy becomes thick and mushy—the characteristic chikkar texture.

11. 11

    For the tadka, heat the ghee. Add the 2 slit green chilies, ginger juliennes, kasuri methi, and a pinch of hing. Crackle the aromatics in the hot ghee.

12. 12

    Pour the tadka over the chole, sprinkle with coriander leaves, and serve.

Notes

The source gives an overnight soaking time and pressure-cooking instructions but does not specify the amount of pressure-cooking water beyond enough to cover the chickpeas. The stated nutrition is approximately 370 kcal, 14 g protein, 52 g carbohydrates, and 13 g fat per serving.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegetarian
• South Asian
• Punjabi
• Lahori
• pressure-cooked
• stovetop
• gluten-free