Cholé

 

Cholé is a popular dish from north India and is usually served with roti, naan, puri or rice. When served the cholé is garnished with onion, green chili and cilantro.
The dish can be prepared using small darker chana (desi variety) or kabuli chana (white chana). Nutrition value for the small chana is more as there is more fibre content in the same.

 

                                      

Ingredients:

• 2 cups kabuli chana (chick peas) or 2 cans of garbanzo beans
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 medium sized onion
• 3 or 4 pods of garlic
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 3 or 4 medium sized tomatoes diced
• 2 inch cinnamon stick
• 3 or 4 green cardamom pods
• 2 or 3 black cardamom pods
• 3 or 4 cloves
• bay leaf
• 2 tsp amchur
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• salt to taste 
• 3 tbsp finely cut onion for garnish (shallots taste good)
• dhania (cilantro) for garnish 

 Directions:

1. Grind onion, ginger and garlic to a paste.
2. If using kabuli chana or dry garbanzo beans, you have to soak them overnight. If using garbanzo from the cans available, wash and clean.
3. Add turmeric powder and baking soda and pressure cook with enough water for 4 to 5 whistles.
4. In a deep thick pot, add oil and when heated, add the cinnamon stick, cardamom and cloves.
5. Add the bay leaf after 2 or 3 minutes.
6. Add the onion paste and keep stirring.
7. When the onion paste is cooked, add the turmeric, chili, and amchur powders.
8. Remove the cooked and mash some of it.
9. Add the chana along with the mashed amount to the onion mixture.
10. Add some water and cook for 10 minutes.
11. Add chopped tomatoes and keep stirring once in a while. Let it simmer for 2 or 3 minutes.
12. Add garam masala and let cook for a minute.
13. Garnish with dhania (cilantro) and onions.

Note:

     To make a richer and tastier version of chole, grind 2 teaspoons of fresh/dry coconut, 4 or 5  soaked and peeled almonds and 5 or 6 cashews and add to the chole. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes.
     Generally, in India two varieties of cardamom are used. They are called green and black cardamom or small and large cardamom. I am inserting a picture of both the varieties for reference. They are available in all the Indian stores in USA.