Punjabi Chole

Punjabi Chole is one of the best delicacies of North Indian food. This was a food of heaven during our student life. We used make this on special occasion(when you are a student you are new to cooking and these are the best to try at that time). Now being familiar with cooking I try making with various changes. the below recipe is one them as this turned out really good.

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 60 mins.

Ingredients
2 Cans of Garbanzo beans Or 11/2 cup of chole(soaked overnight)
1 inch piece of ginger(peeled and grated)
1 Large onion (chopped in food processor)
2 Large tomatoes(puried in a mixture)
3 tspn oil
1 tspn red chili powder
1 green chili (finally chopped)
1 tspn chana masala
1 tspn cumin powder
1 tbspn dhania powder (coriander powder)
salt (to taste)
Whole Garam Masala:
1 inch piece dalchini or cassia bark
1 tspn black peppercorns
3-4 badi elaichi (black cardamom)
2 t cumin seeds
1 tejpatta (Bayleaf)
11/2 cup water

To garnish
Cilantro, 1 tpn Kasuri methi powder and lemon.

Method:

1. If you are using cans then wash them thoroughly. And if you are taking soaked once then Put them in a pressure cooker with water an inch above the chole level. If you want that dark look for chole like you see in restaurants then add 2 tea bags in the pressure cooker. Cook for two Whistles.
2. Till your chole are cooking on the other stove you start preparing the Masala.
3. heat oil in pan. Add cumin and let it splutter. Now add Whole garam masala and fry it for few seconds(you will start getting a nice aroma of the masala's)
4. Now Add Ginger and fry for few secs. Once the ginger is little brown colour add Onions. Fry onions till they are golden brown.
Then add the red chili,dhania powder,chana masala and cumin powder. You can little water to prevent masala from burning.
5. Now add puried tomatoes and fry till the masala starts leaving oil(this will take alot of time maybe half an hour). You will see small droplets of oil forming on top of the masala.
6. Now add the chole + water(based on the consistency you need) and shimmer it for 20 mins.
7. Once its done put the stove off garnish it with Kasuri methi and Cilantro. You can cut lemon into quater sizes use them while eating chole.

You can server this with zeera rice,roti or naan. It can be even eaten with bread.

Enjoy your dish!!