We all have two choices, recall our sad moments and feel sad or recall our happy moments and feel sadder. I prefer the later one. “Chole Masala” makes me nostalgic. It reminds me of the best days of my life. Ironically, we realize the importance of these best moments only when they have passed.
These were the days that I would like to cherish all my life unless my memory fails me when I grow old. This was the period when I got my first job at Infosys and had to undergo the mandatory training. We all had to stay in the sprawling campus situated at the outskirts of Mysore city. It was this campus, where I made some amazing friends, and learnt to live independent life away from home
. I had made it a practice to eat chole-bhature every Friday evenings. These chole-bature were super-tasty, and cheap as well (when away from home you learn to save money in different ways). 20 bucks for a bowl of chole and 3 bature seemed a perfect way of to fill up my stomach and erase my appetite for next few hours and save money at the same time.
After my training, when I got posted and started to stay in a rented apartment with roommates, I started to cook. Instinctively, the first veg recipe that I prepared for myself was Chole-Masala. Over the years, I have bettered this preparation, and now this is one recipe that would never go wrong even during one of those Murphy days.
This is a very simple and very tasty preparation, one that has become a favorite for me and my family. Enjoy this Chole-Masala with Naan, Bhatura, Tandoori-Roti or steamed rice. I bet your family would love this preparation. Do let us know by posting your comments below if you like the preparation.
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2-3
- 1 Cup White Chick peas/Kabuli Chana soaked overnight or minimum for 5-6 hours
- 1 large sized Onion finely cut
- 2 large sized tomatoes grinded into puree
- 1 Green chili cut lengthwise
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp whole coriander seeds
- 8-10 black pepper
- 1-1.5 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 black cardamom
- 4-5 cloves
- 6-7 dried red chilies(medium spicy)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp Kashmiri Chili Powder
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Tea leaf
- 1 tsp sugar
- Cooking Oil and Salt
- Fresh Coriander leaves for garnishing
- We must Pressure cook white chick peas in a pressure cooker. We will use 2½ cup of water for 1 cup of White chick peas. Add 1 tspoon salt.
- Make a small Tea bag using 1 tspoon of tea-leaf. Add this tea-bag to the chick peas. Tea-leaves are used to enhance the color and flavor of chick peas.
- Pressure cook the chick peas on medium flame for 5 whistles.
- When pressure releases completely, open the lid. Remove the tea bag and discard it. Remove the chick peas in a bowl and reserve the excess water.
- Dry Roast cumin seeds,whole coriander seeds, black pepper, cinnamon stick, black cardamom, cloves, dried red chilies, bay leaf for at least 1-2 mins.
- After 2 mins when you start getting nutty aroma from the spices, turn off the flame and let them cool down. Grind these spices into a fine powder.
- Take 2 tbspoon cooked chick peas and grind it into a coarse paste. This paste will be used to thicken the gravy
- Heat 3 tbspoon oil in a pan. Add Onion and roast it until it becomes tender.
- When Onions become slightly tender, add green chilly and ginger-garlic paste. Roast it for 2-3 mins to get rid of the raw smell.
- Now add tomato puree and salt as per taste and roast for 2 minutes.
- Note: We already added some salt when we pressure cooked chick peas.
- When Tomato puree is cooked, add turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilly powder, sugar and finely grounded dry spices powder. Roast this mixture for couple of minutes
- When Masala get nicely roasted, add cooked chick peas, coarse paste of chick peas and the excess water.
- Cook the gravy for 4-5 mins on medium flame, thereafter turn off the flame.
- Treat yourself with this delicious Chole Masala.You can Enjoy this with Roti, Naan, steamed rice or Bhatura.
Check out the recipe video
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