A robust and flavorful chickpea curry from Punjab, slow-cooked with a special blend of spices and tea leaves, giving it a characteristic dark color and tangy taste. Perfect with bhature or kulcha.
Prep20 min
Cook60 min
Soak480 min
Servings4
Serving size: 1 cup
358cal
13gprotein
45gcarbs
Ingredients
200 g Kabuli Chana (Soaked overnight for 8-12 hours)
2 bags Black Tea Bags (Or 2 tsp loose tea leaves tied in a cloth)
1 leaf Bay Leaf (For the spice potli)
2 pods Black Cardamom (For the spice potli)
3 pods Green Cardamom (For the spice potli)
1 inch piece Cinnamon Stick (For the spice potli)
4 whole Cloves (For the spice potli)
0.25 tsp Baking Soda (Helps in softening the chickpeas)
Soft, fluffy leavened flatbreads stuffed with a tangy and spicy potato filling. This Punjabi classic is perfect for a hearty meal, best enjoyed with chole, raita, or a dollop of butter.
A classic Indian condiment balancing sweet, sour, and tangy notes perfectly. Made from tamarind pulp, jaggery, and spices, this chutney is the soul of chaat and the perfect dip for samosas and pakoras.
1.5 inch piece Ginger (Julienned, divided for tarka and garnish)
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (Freshly chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
1
Pressure Cook the Chickpeas
Drain the overnight-soaked chickpeas. In a small muslin cloth, create a potli (spice bag) with the bay leaf, black cardamoms, green cardamoms, cinnamon stick, and cloves.
Place the drained chickpeas, spice potli, tea bags, baking soda, 1 tsp of salt, and 1000 ml of water into a pressure cooker.
Secure the lid and cook on high heat. After the first whistle, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20-25 minutes (or 6-7 whistles).
Turn off the heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the cooker and check if a chickpea mashes easily between your fingers. If not, cook for a few more whistles.
Once cooked, discard the spice potli and tea bags. Do not drain the water; reserve it for the gravy.
2
Prepare the Masala Base
Heat 3 tbsp of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium heat.
Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds. Add the asafoetida.
Add the finely chopped onions and sauté until they turn a deep golden brown. This is a crucial step for flavor and will take about 10-12 minutes. Be patient.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and slit green chilies. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
Pour in the tomato puree. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and you see ghee separating from the sides of the masala, about 8-10 minutes.
3
Add Spices and Chickpeas
Reduce the heat to low. Add all the dry spice powders: turmeric powder, 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, roasted cumin powder, Amritsari chole masala, and anardana powder.
Stir continuously for 1 minute until the spices are fragrant. Do not let them burn.
Add the cooked chickpeas along with all of their reserved cooking water to the pan. Mix everything gently to combine.
4
Simmer and Thicken
Add the remaining 0.75 tsp of salt and stir well. Bring the curry to a gentle boil.
Using the back of a ladle, mash about 1/4 of the chickpeas against the side of the pan. This will naturally thicken the gravy.
Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and let the curry simmer for 15-20 minutes. This allows the chickpeas to absorb the flavors of the masala and the gravy to thicken.
Stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
5
Prepare Final Tarka (Tempering) & Serve
In a small pan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp of ghee for the tarka.
Add half of the julienned ginger and sauté for 30 seconds until lightly golden.
Turn off the heat and add the remaining 0.25 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder. Swirl the pan immediately and pour this hot tarka over the simmering chole. This adds a vibrant color and final layer of flavor.
Garnish with the remaining fresh ginger juliennes and chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot with fluffy bhature, kulcha, naan, or steamed basmati rice.
4
Serving size: 2 pieces
593cal
12gprotein
87gcarbs
22gfat
Ingredients
2 cup Maida (Also known as all-purpose flour)
0.5 cup Curd (Plain yogurt, at room temperature)
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
0.5 tsp Baking Soda
1.75 tsp Salt (Divided use: 0.75 tsp for dough, 1 tsp for stuffing)
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil (For the dough)
0.5 cup Warm Water (Adjust as needed for kneading)
4 pcs Potatoes (Medium-sized, boiled, peeled, and cooled)
1 pcs Onion (Medium, finely chopped)
2 pcs Green Chili (Finely chopped, adjust to taste)
1 inch Ginger (Freshly grated)
3 tbsp Coriander Leaves (Freshly chopped)
1.5 tsp Coriander Powder
0.75 tsp Red Chili Powder (Adjust to spice preference)
1 tsp Amchur Powder (Dry mango powder)
0.5 tsp Garam Masala
4 tbsp Ghee (Melted, for brushing on kulchas)
1 tbsp Kalonji Seeds (Optional, for topping)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine the maida, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and 0.75 tsp of salt. Whisk well to combine the dry ingredients.
Add the curd and vegetable oil. Use your fingertips to mix it into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Gradually add warm water and knead for 8-10 minutes to form a very soft, smooth, and pliable dough. It should be slightly sticky.
Apply a little oil on the dough, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rest in a warm place for at least 2 hours.
2
Prepare the Potato Stuffing
While the dough rests, prepare the filling. In a separate bowl, mash the cooled, boiled potatoes. Ensure there are no large lumps, but don't make it a paste.
Add the finely chopped onion, green chilies, grated ginger, and fresh coriander leaves to the mashed potatoes.
Sprinkle in all the dry spices: coriander powder, red chili powder, amchur powder, garam masala, and the remaining 1 tsp of salt.
Mix everything thoroughly until well combined. The stuffing should be relatively dry. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Divide the stuffing into 8 equal portions.
After 2 hours, gently knead the rested dough for one minute. Divide it into 8 equal-sized balls.
Take one dough ball and flatten it with your fingers into a 3-inch disc, keeping the edges slightly thinner than the center.
Place one portion of the potato stuffing in the center of the disc.
Carefully bring the edges of the dough together, pleating as you go, to completely enclose the stuffing. Pinch the top to seal it tightly.
Gently flatten the stuffed ball with your palm.
4
Roll and Cook the Kulchas
Sprinkle a few kalonji seeds and some chopped coriander leaves on the stuffed ball and press them gently.
Lightly dust a rolling surface with dry flour. Gently roll the ball into a 5-6 inch circle or oval. Apply even, gentle pressure to prevent the stuffing from tearing through.
Heat a tawa (griddle) over medium heat. Place the rolled kulcha on the hot tawa.
Cook for 1-2 minutes until you see bubbles appearing on the surface. Flip the kulcha.
Brush the top (cooked) side generously with melted ghee. Cook the second side for another 1-2 minutes until golden-brown spots appear, pressing gently with a spatula.
Flip again, brush the other side with ghee, and cook for another 30-45 seconds until crisp and golden brown on both sides.
Remove from the tawa and repeat the process for the remaining kulchas.
5
Serve
Serve the Aloo Kulchas immediately while they are hot and soft. They are best enjoyed with chana masala, dal makhani, a side of plain yogurt (raita), and pickle.
4
Add Spices and Simmer
Once the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to low.
Stir in the roasted cumin powder, dry ginger powder, red chili powder, black salt, regular salt, garam masala, and optional hing.
Mix well and let the chutney simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking.
The chutney is ready when it has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
5
Cool and Store
Turn off the heat and allow the chutney to cool completely to room temperature. It will thicken significantly as it cools.
Once cooled, transfer the chutney to a clean, dry, and airtight glass jar.
