Chole (Chickpeas)

A firm family favourite with Bhaturas and rice

Video: Ale Armijos

Best made using dried chickpeas soaked overnight but works well with tinned chickpeas too if tight for time.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 55 minute. Soaking time: Chole 8 hours preferably overnight

Suitable for: Vegetarian, vegan (use vegetable oil instead of ghee/butter) and those on a gluten free diet

Serve piping hot with Bhaturas (not gluten free) and plain boiled brown rice (rice for a gluten free option)

Photos: Ale Armijos and Girish Gupta

Ingredients:   

Tarka

3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee/butter

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

6 whole clove

1 medium onion, chopped finely

300g tinned plum peeled whole or chopped tomatoes or 4 fresh tomatoes skinned and chopped

1½ - 2 chillies (green finger), chopped finely

2 level teaspoons salt

½ -  ¾ teaspoon haldi (turmeric) - add the higher amount if using fresh tomatoes.

 ½ teaspoon of garam masala

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated finely

Chole

3 x 400g tins of chole (chickpeas), rinsed and drained (or 230g of dried chole soaked in water for 6 - 8 hours preferably overnight).

500 - 600ml water if using precooked chickpeas (750ml if using soaked dried chole)

4 dried/fresh bay leaves (optional)

handful of chopped fresh coriander

1 teaspoon amchoor, dried mango powder (optional)

sliced red onion and coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

Preparation of dried chole:

1. Sort the chole to remove chaff/debris, rinse and soak preferably overnight

2. Rinse the soaked chole, add 750ml of water and pressure cook for 20 minutes. Cool before opening the pressure cooker.

3. Whilst the chole are being pressure cooked, make the tarka. Heat the oil (butter or ghee) on medium heat until fairly hot (be careful with butter/ghee as these have lower smoking points). Add the cumin seeds and cloves and stir until they splutter (virtually immediately)

4. Turn the heat down to low/medium, add the onions and fry gently stirring occasionally until they soften.

5. Add the tomatoes, salt, turmeric, chillies, garlic, ginger stir. Continue to cook gently, ‘mashing’ the tomatoes until a paste like consistency forms. I use a potato masher.

6. Add the garam masala, stir and cook for a further minute or so or until oil oozes out of the paste when a wooden spoon is dragged along the base of the pan

7. To the Tarka add the rinsed and drained tinned chole, stir and cook gently on medium heat for 5 minutes with the lid on the pan to help absorb some of the flavours.

   NB: if using pressure cooked chole, tip the contents of the pressure cooker into the Tarka and continue from point 9 below.

8. Add the water (only if using tinned chole)

9. Stir turning up the heat bring to the boil.

10. Turn down the heat to low/medium heat, add the bay leaves. Place the lid on the pan and simmer gently for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

11. Add the amchoor (if using) and chopped coriander. Bring back to the boil once again, then turning the heat down simmer for a minute or so.

12. Remove the bay leaves. Serve piping hot garnished with finely sliced red onions.