Kali Chana {Pindi Chole}

Recipe courtesy of Chitra Goel (Sophie), blogger at My Dainty Soul Curry and EatUsaBeans.com.

Easy to cook, explosive flavor and indulgent experience. Spicy yet not overpowering, and creamy yet not very rich and slightly tangy. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a perfect Kali Chana recipe. In most Indian metropolitans, food is largely fashioned as a culture rather than a regional thing. Thanks to the melting pot of intermingling cultures and food festivals, major Indian cities boast a diverse foodie scene catering to the needs of every palate. There are unconventional Indo-Chinese street foods and also many authentic Indian dishes just like this chickpea curry or Kali Chana often served with the softest kulcha naan or bhatura.

Recipe of Kali Chana or Pindi Chole:

Ingredients:

1 tbsp avocado oil, 1 cup onion – ginger – garlic paste – 1/4 yellow or red onions + 4 cloves garlic, 2 tomatoes pureed, 1/4 cup tomato paste, minced + 1-inch ginger +1/2 cup fried onions, 2 tbsp spice mix (1 tsp garam masala+1 tbsp ground coriander + 1/2 tsp ground cayenne or hot chili powder+1/2 tsp turmeric + 1 tsp home-made curry powder, ½ tsp dried pomegranate seeds powder, 1 to 1 1/2 tsp salt to taste, 3 cups cooked chickpeas, cooked with 1/2 tsp mustard oil+1/2 cup chopped tomatoes + 2 whole cloves+1 bay leaf+1 black cardamom and 1 tsp of Pomegranate seeds powder, 1-1/2 tsp kasoori methi, optional, Cilantro to garnish

Instructions:

Pressure cook beans:

• Wash and soak 1 cup of garbanzo beans overnight before cooking.
• In an electric pressure cooker’s inner pot, add chickpeas and add enough water to cover the beans.
• Now add all the ingredients listed with 3 cups of cooked beans.
• Add a pinch of turmeric and two black tea bags.
• Cover and seal the vent, and pressure cook for 20-minutes al-dente beans and 30-minutes for soft and not-mushy beans.
• After the natural pressure release, set the beans aside.

Cook the masala:

• You can use your instant pot or a pan to cook the masala for the curry.
• Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat and add the avocado oil. If using an instant pot, set it on the sauté mode and proceed to the next step.
• Add avocado once the pot is hot. In a few minutes, add the onion-ginger-garlic paste with a pinch of salt and cook for about 5-6 minutes.
• Once the onion is cooked and turned into a brownish color, add half of the homemade chana masala spice mix and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Stir constantly so the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Add the tomato purée over the cooked onions and spice mixture. After a while, add the tomato paste and cover, bring to a simmer.

Make Curry:

• Now add chickpeas and change the mode to pressure cook and set for 10-minutes or pressure cooking. If using the stovetop to cook, add chickpeas, a cup of water, and stir well. Cover and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes.
• After the instant pot beeps, wait for 10-minutes and release pressure. Open the lid and mix in some fresh cilantro and kasoori methi. For the stovetop method, turn off the heat and garnish. Adjust the salt according to taste.
• Serve with your choice of side dish.

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