Pindi Chana or Pindi Chole derives its name from the city of Rawalpindi located in Punjab Province of Pakistan which is more commonly known as Pindi. A Popular street food in Rawalpindi has now established itself firmly on the menus of several dhabas and restaurant in India and Pakistan. It’s a modest dish flavored with powdered and roasted spices and doesn’t call for any elaborate preparation.
Kabuli Chana is much favored ingredient in Dhabas and restaurants in North India and the preparations like Chole Masala, Pindi Chana are widely popular. Dhabas have quite a simplified logic for having these items on their menu. Kabuli Chana doubles up in volume when soaked and can cater to quite a large number of palates, thus making handsome profits for the Dhaba owners and as foodies how can we resist the temptation of some legendary dishes like Chole-Bhature- one of the India’s best gift to the world.
A couple of years ago, we posted a recipe of Chole Masala on our YouTube Channel which subsequently went viral and was viewed more than 2 Million times. It’s a recipe that still fetches us rave reviews from our viewers and subscribers. One such feedback that I still remember quite vividly was posted by a young aspiring Chef. She was graduating from one of the Culinary institutes in India and during one of her practical exams she referred to our recipe and it managed to fetch her positive feedback from her faculty. She was ecstatic while conveying her wishes and regards to us. 😊
Her comment really made us feel proud!
Chole masala recipe is quite an elaborate preparation one that requires freshly ground spices and purees. It’s a perfect option for your potlucks or lunches that you are hosting for your guests. It goes well with Bhature, paratha and Jeera rice.
So this time when we picked Kabuli Chana for our next preparation we decided to make something quick and easy but no lesser on taste quotient than Chole Masala and thus came the idea for today’s recipe-Pindi Chana.
Let me tell you the best part of this recipe. There is hardly any cutting and chopping (no shedding tears while slicing Onions and no Bhunao of spices.
If you plan your meals in advance, then accommodate for soaking of Kabuli Chana in your meal preparation plan. You need to soak overnight or for 6 hours at least for best results. However, if you are a last minuter and want to prepare this dish, here’s a quick soaking tip for you than can expedite the entire soaking process to an hour.
- Soak Chana in water that rises above its level in a large vessel
- Put this Pan on heat and allow it to simmer
- When the water begins to boil, turn off the heat.
- Cover the vessel with a lid and leave it aside for 1 hour
This will give you perfectly soaked Chanas ready in a jiffy and you will be ready for this preparation. Make this delicious preparation for your Sunday lunch. Garnish with onion rings, green chilies and a lemon wedge on top and relish it with some hot Parathas or steamed rice.
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Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 3-4
- 1 Cup=200gms Garbanzo beans-soaked in salted water overnight, drain the excess water
- 1 Large=125gms Boiled Potatoes
- 2 tsp tea leaf
- 1-inch Cinnamon stick
- 1 Black Cardamom
- 3 Green Cardamom
- 4-5 Cloves
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 2 Green Chilies-slit
- 1-inch Ginger root-grated
- 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 1 tsp dry Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp dry Mango Powder
- 1 tbsp dried Pomegranate seeds powder (roasted and powdered)
- Salt
- Cooking Oil
- We will boil the Chana first. Make a spice bag. Take a piece of cloth. Put spices and tea leaf and tie it into a bag. You can also use unflavored tea bag. In a pressure cooker, put soaked Chana
- Add Salt. Mix well. Put Spice bag. Cover with lid and Pressure cook. Pressure cook on high for 1 whistle and on medium heat for 2 whistles
- Allow the pressure to release normally before opening the lid. Remove cooked Chana from Pressure Cooker and reserve water
- In a large bowl, put boiled Kabuli Chana. Add boiled potato cubes, Red Chili powder, Coriander Powder, Garam masala Powder, dried Pomegranate seeds powder and dry mango powder. Add some Salt and mix well.
- Now, we will prepare for a Tadka. Heat 3 tbsp Cooking Oil. Add Cumin Seeds. Add sliced Green Chilies and grated ginger. Pour this Tadka on Chana. Cover and leave side for an hour
- In a Pan, add Kabuli Chana. Add 1 Cup water (reserved while boiling Kabuli Chana). Allow the curry to boil on high heat
- Lower the heat and cook until water is reduced completely. Keep stirring intermittently.
- We have cooked for 10 mins on low heat. Water has reduced completely and Chole are well coated in masala. Switch off the heat and serve hot
- We have not used Onions, Garlic and Tomatoes while making Pindi Chana. You can serve Onion slices, tomato slices, green chili as an accompaniment. Serve with Roti/Parathas/Steamed Rice
Click to watch recipe video
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