Pindi chole is one of the easiest chickpea recipes with full of flavors. This is the dry version of chana where boiled chickpeas are coated lightly with spice powder gravy.
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❤️About This Recipe
This dish pindi chana (chole) is named after the town where it is originated, Rawalpindi, Punjab (a region of Pakistan now, used to be a part of India before India-Pakistan partition).
So this dish is not only popular in Pakistan, but also in the Northern part of India. You may find street vendors selling it or on the menu of some dhabas.
Some street vendors add paneer or boiled, cubed potatoes in their pindi chole to give it some variation.
This makes the protein-packed main course when served with Indian bread like poori, bhatura, naan or kulcha.
When you have boiled chickpeas (or canned chickpeas) handy, this comes together in just 10 minutes.
Yes, it is that quick. There is no onion, tomato used in this dish. So no chopping, grinding required like the gravy version of chole. Here raw onions are served along with the dish, but not added while cooking.
🧾Ingredients
Here is the pic of the ingredients used in making pindi chole.
Chickpeas: I always prefer to use dry chickpeas. So I wash and soak overnight and the next day I boil in my pressure cooker (in instant pot nowadays). Alternatively, you can use canned chickpeas. If so skip the soaking and boiling step.
Teabag: It is added while boiling the chickpeas. So it gives a nice brown tinge to the chana. If you have used a canned one then your chana doesn’t get that tinge. That’s ok, anyways tea bag doesn’t add any flavor here, It’s used just for the color.
Ginger & Garlic: I most of the time, freshly grate them and use in the recipe. You can use ready-made or homemade ginger garlic paste instead.
Spice powders: All of them are basic and easily available.
Lime: I like the taste of lime/lemon juice in this pindi chana. Every household has their version. Some add tamarind paste. While some add amchur.
👩🍳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 tea bag and spices. Drain the water and keep boiled chana aside.
- Cook in instant pot: takes about 10-15 minutes (see the details here - Instant pot chickpeas)
Making Pindi Chole:
1) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add ginger and garlic, saute for a minute or until the raw smell of ginger-garlic goes away.
2) Then add all the spice powders (red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, anardana powder and garam masala).
3) Mix and cook for 30 seconds only. Be careful, do not burn the spices.
4) Add boiled chana and mix well so all the spices are coated to chana evenly. Lower the heat to lowest and cook for 4-5 minutes. Lastly, add lemon/lime juice, mix 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 drain the liquid. Skip the teabag. Also, the whole spices we added in the pressure cooker, add those in oil, once you get a nice aroma the spices add ginger garlic and continue.
- After adding spice powders, if needed lower the heat and stir immediately. Don’t cook the spices for a long time otherwise they get burnt and don’t taste good at all.
🍽 Serving Ideas
- This pindi chole is served with raw sliced onions and slit green chili.
- To make it a meal, serve with poori, bhatura or kulcha.
- To keep the meal healthy, this tastes good with phulka roti.
Check Out Other Kabuli Chana Recipes
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
Pindi Chole (Pindi Chana)
Ingredients
For Pressure Cooking:
- ½ cup Dried white chickpeas (Chole or kabuli chana or safed chana)
- 2 cups Water
- ½ inch Cinnamon stick
- 2 Black cardamom
- 1 Tea bags optional
For Making Pindi Chole Recipe:
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- 1 teaspoon Ginger paste or freshly grated or crushed
- ½ teaspoon Garlic paste or freshly grated
- ¾ teaspoon Red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala or chole masala
- ½ teaspoon Anardana powder (Dried pomegranate seeds powder)
- Salt to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons Lemon juice
- 1 Green chili slit, to serve on side or for garnishing
- ½ of small Red onion Sliced, to serve on side or for garnishing
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.
- 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 tea bag and spices. Drain the water and keep boiled chana aside.- Cook in instant pot: takes about 10-15 minutes (see the details here - Instant pot chickpeas)
Making Pindi Chana Recipe:
- Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add ginger and garlic, saute for a minute or until the raw smell of ginger-garlic goes away.
- Then add all the spice powders (red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, anardana powder and garam masala). Mix and cook for 30 seconds only. Be careful, do not burn the spices.
- Add boiled chana and mix well so all the spices are coated to chana evenly. Lower the heat to lowest and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Lastly, add lemon/lime juice, mix and serve.
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