Diwali Recipe- Punjabi Style No Onion Garlic Pindi Chole

Pindi chole is the most commonly made chole in punjabi household. It has become a comfort food for many. Making pindi chane on weekends and holidays has become a tradition. So here we are with a pindi chole without onion garlic. There are many people who prefer eating without onion garlic food. This recipe is super easy and you can prepare the masala ahead of time and use it later. This saves lots of time. This satvik pindi chole goes great with crispy poori, bhature or even jeera rice.

Ingredients

To Boil Chole

300 gms Safed Chole (White Chick Pea)
1 Teabag / 1 tsp Tea tied in a potli
1 tsp Dried Amla (optional)
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 Bay leaf
2 Whole Black Cardamom
5 Cloves
1 tsp Salt

For Chole

2 – 3 tblsp Ginger Julienned
2 – 3 Green Chillies slit for garnish
1/2 cup Ghee / Oil / Mustard Oil
Salt to taste

For Masala

2 tblsp Whole Anardana ( Dried Pomegranate Seeds )
1 1/2 tblsp Jeera Seeds (Cumin Whole)
2 tblsp Sabut Dhania Seeds (Corriander Seed whole )
12 Laung (Cloves)
20 Sabut Kali Mirch (Black Peppercorns)
3 Big Black Cardamom (Moti Elaichi)
2 inch stick Cinnamon (Dalchini)

For Garnish

Slit Green Chillies
Few Ginger Julinnes
Lemon Wedges

Method

* Soak the chole in 6 cups of water overnight or for atleast 8 hours till it becomes double in size.

* Throw away the water in which the chole were soaked.
In a pressure cooker add the strained chole, baking powder, tea leaves, dried amla and the whole spices – bay leaf, brown elaichi, cloves and salt.

* Pressure cook the chole in water. The quantity of water should be double the quantity of chole. Close the lid and wait till you hear two whistles. This will ensure that there is a bite in the chole and not completely pulpy. If you are not using baking powder then you will have to cook for 6 – 7 whistles depending upon the size of your chole. Then let the pressure release naturally.

* Dry roast all the spices separately on a dry tawa till you can smell the aromas and the masalas change color. The anardana should be nearly black. Let it cool and then
grind them into a powder.

* Once the chole are done, separate the water from chole.
* Keep this water aside for later use.

* Let the chole cool for some time.

* Then add red chilli powder, ajwain, jeera powder, kasoori methi, amchur powder, dhaniya powder, black salt (kala namak), roasted grinded masala prepared earlier and 1/4 tsp hing.

* Mix all together with a light hand. Cover and keep aside for 1/2 hr – 1 hr.

* Now in a pan add three tablespoons of oil/ghee. Fry ginger juliennes till crisp and golden. Now add the slit green chillies. Fry for a min.

* Pour this tadka over the chole and mix well.

* Now add tamarind pulp. Stir carefully on high heat to avoid breaking the chole.

* Add 1 – 2tblsp of water kept aside from boiled chole. This will allow the masalas to get cooked and coat the chole properly.

* After 4 – 5 mins, switch off the flame.

* Serve garnished with the ginger strips and green chillies.

* Also serve Nimbu halves and sliced onions with it

* Tastes best with Bhatura/Kulcha/puri, even lachcha paratha. And if eating with rice, make it a bit wetter.

* To make it more tasty, give a tadka of 1 tblsp ghee and 1 tsp red kashmiri chilli powder on top before serving.