This Jain chole masala is made without onion and garlic, still, it is loaded with flavor. Here chickpeas are simmered into delicious tomato gravy.
❤️About This Recipe
There is a wrong belief that dishes made without onion garlic do not have flavors. If you have never tried this chole recipe without onion garlic, I strongly recommend you to try it once. I am sure you will fall in love with this recipe.
This is my go-to chole recipe. I make at least once in two weeks as this is hubby’s most favorite. This is the Jain version of popular Punjabi Chole masala. I have also shared a regular chole bhature recipe and chole recipe (made in the pressure cooker).
Whole spices are added while boiling the chana. It makes very aromatic and the chana itself has some extra flavors.
🧾Ingredients
Here is the pic of the ingredients used in making this Jain chole. All the ingredients are basic for any Indian pantry.
Chickpeas: I mostly use dry chickpeas and boil as needed. I try to avoid canned food as much as I can. But sure, you can use the ready canned chickpeas (just skip the soaking and boiling beans steps).
Teabag (not shown in the pic): It depends on my mood, I use it or skip it. It is added while boiling the chickpeas. It doesn’t add any taste/flavor but sure gives a nice, deep dark colored chickpeas.
Tomatoes: To make the gravy simply freshly pureed tomatoes are used. We are using a good amount of tomatoes, so make sure to use ripe tomatoes. Unripe tomatoes give the sour taste in the gravy.
Chopped tomatoes: It added used in making tempering. These are semi-cooked into the oil and added into the ready chole masala, and the pan is covered immediately to trap all the flavors.
Anardana powder (aka dry pomegranate seeds powder): It adds a nice chatpata (tangy, slightly sweet) taste. There is no substitute for this, it is unique.
👩🍳Step By Step Photo Instructions
Soaking, Boiling Chickpeas
1) Wash the dried chickpeas under running cold water until water runs clear. Or rinse them 2-3 times until the water is not cloudy anymore.
2) Then soak in enough water (2 inches above) for at least 8 hours or overnight. Did you forget to soak ahead of time? No worries check out my quick soaking method in the notes below.
3) Now discard the soaking water, take soaked chana and freshwater in the pressure cooker. Add whole spices (cloves, cinnamon, black cardamom) and teabag.
4) Cover the cooker with the lid, put the weight on and cook for 1 whistle on HIGH + 20 minutes On LOW. Let the pressure go down naturally, then open the lid. Discard the teabag and spices.
- Cook in instant pot: takes about 10-15 minutes (see the details here - Instant pot chickpeas)
Making Chole Without Onion Garlic
1) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
2) Now add chopped green chilies and saute for 20-40 seconds.
3) Add tomato puree and salt. Mix and let it simmer. If it splutters a lot then you can partially cover and cook.
4) Cook until all the moisture evaporates and oil starts to ooze out from the sides. Do stir in between to make sure that it is not sticking to the pan.
5) Now add red chili powder, coriander powder and anardana powder.
6) Mix well and cook for a minute.
7) Add boiled chana along with its boiling water. If it has too much water then save some for later if needed.
8) Mix and let it simmer for 7-8 minutes or until you get the desired thickness of the gravy.
9) Now heat the oil in a small pan for tempering. Once hot add tomatoes and cook until it is semi-soft.
10) Add that to the ready Jain chole masala.
11) Immediately cover the pan to trap all the flavors. Keep it covered for 5 minutes.
12) Now garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.
💭Expert Tips
- Quick Soaking Method for chickpeas: Take washed chana and plenty of water in a saucepan. Turn the heat on HIGH and let it come to a boil and then continue boiling for 5 minutes. Then turn off the stove. Cover the pan with the lid and let it rest for 1 hour. When you take a look at chana after 1 hour, they will be the same as overnight soaked.
- If you are using canned chickpeas, then no need to pressure cook them. But you need to rinse canned chickpeas. Also, the whole spices we added in the pressure cooker, add those in oil after sizzling the cumin seeds.
🍽 Serving Ideas
- This chole without onion garlic tastes good with poori, bhatura or paratha. Serve chaas and mango pickle on the side.
- It can be served with plain rice or jeera rice. Or go for healthy options like quinoa, couscous or millet.
PS Tried this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback! Plus, Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for all the latest updates.
📋 Recipe Card
Jain Chole (Without Onion Garlic)
Ingredients
For Boiling Chana:
- 1 cup Dried white chickpeas (Chole or kabuli chana or safed chana)
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- 2 Cloves
- 1 Black cardamom
- 1 Teabag optional
- 3 cups Water
For Gravy:
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1-2 Green chilies chopped finely
- 3 medium or 2 cups Tomato pureed
- Salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons Red chili powder
- 2 teaspoons Coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon Anardana powder (dried pomegranate seeds powder)
- 2 tablespoons Cilantro or coriander leaves chopped finely
For Tempering (Tadka):
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- ⅓ cup Tomato chopped finely
Instructions
Soaking, Boiling Chickpeas:
- Wash the dried chickpeas under running cold water until water runs clear. Or rinse them 2-3 times until the water is not cloudy anymore.
- Then soak in enough water (2 inches above) for at least 8 hours or overnight. Did you forget to soak ahead of time? No worries check out my quick soaking method in the notes below.
- Now discard the soaking water, take soaked chana and freshwater in the pressure cooker. Add whole spices (cloves, cinnamon, black cardamom) and teabag.
- Cover the cooker with the lid, put the weight on and cook for 1 whistle on HIGH + 20 minutes On LOW. Let the pressure go down naturally, then open the lid. Discard the teabag and spices.Cook in instant pot: takes about 10-15 minutes (see the details here - Instant pot chickpeas)
Making Jain Chole:
- Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
- Now add chopped green chilies and saute for 20-40 seconds.
- Add tomato puree and salt. Mix and let it simmer. If it splutters a lot then you can partially cover and cook until all the moisture evaporates and oil starts to ooze out from the sides. Do stir in between to make sure that it is not sticking to the pan.
- Now add red chili powder, coriander powder and anardana powder. Mix well and cook for a minute.
- Add boiled chana along with its boiling water. If it has too much water then save some for later if needed.
- Mix and let it simmer for 7-8 minutes or until you get the desired thickness of the gravy.
Making Tempering (Tadka):
- Now heat the oil in a small pan for tempering. Once hot add tomatoes and cook until it is semi-soft.
- Add that to the ready Jain chole masala. Immediately cover the pan to trap all the flavors. Keep it covered for 5 minutes.
- Now garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.
can I add some potatoes to this receipe
yes, you can add boiled potatoes
Very good taste
thank you
Lovely recipe! Please post more Jain recipes as we are strict Jains living in the US! More tomato gravy recipes if possible like kadai paneer, black dal, paneer makhani :))
Wow, that must be tough. hats off to you.
Sure, I will add more jain recipes
Hi thanks for the recipe it was really g8 n all liked u n it would not be done without u thanks a lot .
Thanks Veronica. Nice to know that you liked it.
Hi,
We are not Jain but my mpther in law does not eat onion and garlic.So I cook vegetables in tomato gravy only and I swear all are mouth watering .
Nidhi
I agree with your Nidhi. Sometime people had wrong belief that without onion-garlic, there is no flavors. but it is not like that. I have eaten so many Jain dishes (as my in-laws are Jain 🙂 ) and all had good taste and flavors.