My mom has been making this Chole recipe for over two decades! She makes it same exact way, every dang time. The only difference is that she used to make it in a manual pressure cooker, and now she makes it in her handy dandy Instant Pot, which is an electric pressure cooker. No more having mom leave the house in the middle of making chole and panicking when being asked to open the pressure cooker after the second seethe (the hissing noise)! I asked her, “Mom, what makes your Chole so special?” while my entire family was together for Christmas. From the kitchen, I heard my sister-in-law say, “well, it tastes better than anyone else’s.” Sorry uncles and aunties!! Her Chole is always in highest demand at get togethers. She’ll even freeze it and send it home with us when we visit. If you have even more chickpeas, definitely try out Kala Chana Masala, Smashed Chickpea and Avocado Sandwiches, or Chickpea Fries!
Why this Recipe Works
If I ever want a homey, comforting meal then I always turn to Chole. It’s a no-brainer and I have the ingredients on hand in my fridge and pantry. Here’s why you’ll love it:
What is Chole?
Chole is a North Indian curry made out of chickpeas, onion, tomato, and spices. It’s plant-based and packed with protein, making it a popular recipe. The chickpeas are slow-cooked in a pressure cooker so the curry is incredibly flavorful and hearty. It’s traditionally served on it’s own with giant bhatures (puffed fried bread), known as Chole Bhature. You can also find it served as a street food around Punjab and New Delhi! I’ve also seen it on top of aloo tikki chaat and Samosa Chaat. Sometimes my mom adds leftovers to pasta with marinara sauce and that ish is so good, too! Chole is one of my favorite dishes ever, and it’s made for special occasions in my household or when we’re in a good mood.
What’s the difference between Chole and Chana Masala?
They are admittedly incredibly similar and frequently confused. Some consider it interchangeable, but that’s not the case. Chana masala is drier and tangy. It’s made with dry spices and very little water. It’s easily served with roti or naan. Chole is a thick curry made with several aromatics and an onion-tomato based gravy. It’s typically served with bhatura or rice.
Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
Chickpeas - Preferably, use dried chickpeas. This does require a soaking time, so plan ahead. Otherwise, canned chickpeas works as well. Chana Masala Spice Blend - To let you in on a little secret, no desi these days uses just their spices to make curries. We rely heavily on pre-made mixes from brands like MDH, Shan, and Git. Before you make this recipe, grab the MDH Chana Masala mix. It’s the one my mom uses and it completely enhances the curry, and so easily! Seeds - Fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds are tempered in oil to start off this delicious curry. Spices - In addition to the Chana Masala, we adjust the Chole with more ground spices. Namely garam masala, chili powder, turmeric, and coriander. Dried chilis - Dried red chilis are added to this curry to rehydrate as it’s cooked and subtly lend more spice to the Chole. Tomato paste - Most curries start off with just a bit of tomato. However, Chole doesn’t have a concentrated tomato flavor and needs just a bit of paste for a thick gravy. Ginger Garlic Paste - This paste is made with half ginger and half garlic. It’s blended into a paste with a bit of oil. You can add freshly grated garlic and ginger instead.
Benefits to Soaking Dried Chickpeas
You may ask, why bother using dried chickpeas and waiting for them to soak when I can just use canned chickpeas? Valid question! Here are a few reasons we stick to dried chickpeas: When you soak the chickpeas, make sure they’re in a large enough bowl because they retain a lot of water and expand.
How to make Authentic Chole in an Instant Pot
Start the Chole by soaking the dried chickpeas. Some dried chickpeas may have stones, so you’ll want to remove them if you see any. If you’re making Chole for lunch the next day, soak the chickpeas overnight. Otherwise, soak them for 4-6 hours before dinner. Over soaking chickpeas will make them super hard, so don’t forget about them. You can also used canned chickpeas here. Drain the canned chickpeas of the aquafaba. Wash the chickpeas several times before adding them to the curry. After 45 minutes, remove the lid from the Instant Pot. Use a potato masher to mash the chickpeas a few times. This helps thicken up the curry. Allow the curry to rest for about 10 minutes. Note: Many recipes suggest adding two tea bags to the curry to make it darker. While this is a great trick, it’s ultimately unnecessary for this recipe.
Serving Instructions
Serve Chole warm, garnished with chopped cilantro. Other great accompaniments are aachar, raw red onion slices for crunch, and lemon wedges. If it’s especially spicy, a side of Dahi or Boondi Raita are going to be lifesavers that cool you off. Chole is most popularly served with Bhature or poori for a hearty brunch. Leftover Chole is great to enjoy with rice the next day for a quick lunch or as a base for Samosa Chaat.
Expert Tips
My mom has made Chole at least once a month my entire life. It’s a family favorite!!
For a dark, deeper brown hue color you can add decaf black tea bags. It won’t change the flavor of the curry. Use dried chickpeas instead of canned chickpeas. Once you remove the lid, remove the curry from heat and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Use a potato masher or fork to mash up the chickpeas a bit which thickens the curry.
More Indian Recipes to try
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