Amritsari Chole

Serves 4-6

2 cups uncooked garbanzo beans (chole), soaked 6-7 hours

1 red onion, chopped

2-3 tomatoes, purée

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

2 green chilies, slit in half

2 black cardamom pods

2-3 green cardamom pods

2 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

2-4 cloves

1-2 tsp black tea

Ghee

Mustard Oil

Cheese cloth for spice bag

Chole Masala

1 tsp rock salt

1/2 tsp asafetida

1 tsp fenugreek powder

2 tsp dry mango (amchur) powder

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp kashmiri red chili powder

2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp dry pomegranate powder

2 ts[ garam masala

Add chole and 3-4 cups of water in a mixing bowl (enough to cover them) and soak overnight or for 6-7 hours. Drain the water in which you had soaked the chole after 6-7 hours.

Add black cardamom pods, green cardamom pods, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, and balck tea in a small square of cheesecloth. Draw the edges together to form a bag, lossely tie it with kitchen twine (or use a small pre-made spice bag).

Add soaked and drained chole, 4-5 cups of water, and spice bag in a pressure cooker. Pressure cook on high till you get 3-4 whistles. Remove from heat and allow it to cool down for 10-20 minutes. Open the pressure cooker and discard the spice bag. If using an instant pot, pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. Open the instant pot lid after the pressure has been released through the steam release valve and discard the spice bag.

Reserve the boiled chole along with its stock. Do not drain the beans.

In a deep pan (use a pan with lid), heat 2 tbsp of ghee and 1 tbsp of mustard oil on medium-high flame. Add onions and cook until translucent.

Add ginger garlic paste and cook until fragrant. Approximately 2 minutes.

Add tomato puree, salt to taste and mix. Put a lid on the pan and let it cook until the oil separates. Approximately 3-5 minutes.

Remove the lid and add prepared chole masala, mix and cook for 30 seconds.

Using a straner (do not discard water) add chole to the pan and cook along with the masala for 5-6 minutes.

Add 1 cup of the reserved chole water at a time to the pan. I used 2 cups of water. Use the reserved stock to adjust consistency and stir. Add more water, if required. Using a potato masher, try to mash a few chole at the bottom of the pan. Do not mash all the chole just a few to help thicken the gravy.

Cook on medium high flame until the gravy thickens. Turn off the flame and transfer to a serving bowl.

In a small pan, heat 1-2 tbsp of ghee. Once ghee is hot, add garlic, green chilies, roasted cuming powder and red chili powder. Cook for 10-15 seconds or until garlic is fragrant. Do not burn the garlic. Turn off the flame and add the tadka on top of the chole. If serving later, add tadka right before serving.

Serve immediately. Pair it with bhatura, paratha, roti or rice!