Here is the step by step method for chole recipe. Since Bhenji is beginner so I will keep recipe steps relevantly very simple and bibeki at the same time.
These simple and straight forward steps can be followed for both Black and White Chole.
Few Basics :People call 'chole' by different names in different countries. Also in different grocery stores the different brands of chole can be found in different shape, sizes and colors. The size of this pulse can be small, medium or big depending on the region where it is grown and which grocery store is sorcing from which company.
White Chole - They are also known as Chick Peas, Kabuli Chana, White Chana or Safed Chana etc... The picture of White Chole can be found on this link : [
www.gayatriorganic.com]
Black Chole - They are simply called 'Chana' in India. Also known as Brown Chana, Bengal Grams, Kala Chana or Sprout Chana/Pea. Famously also called as Ghoda (Horse) Chana in India. As most horses eat this Chana. The picture of Black Chole can be found on this link : [
www.gayatriorganic.com]
Steps (assuming the serving for 1 person) :
Step 1 : Soaking.Before you go to sleep in night. Take a glass bowl, fill it up with tap water and soak 1-Cup of Chole. Make sure the bowl is shallow enough so that Chole are completely submerged. Cover it with lid. Do not cover completely. Let enough ventilation for air flow to happen. When I say 1-Cup, the size of the Cup can be assumed of the biggest cup as shown in this picture [
www.amazon.in]
Tip : In the excitement to try out this recipe do not forget to do Kirtan Sohela Sahib.
Step 2 : Pressure CookingIn the morning (assuming 10 hour soak time) to your amazement you will see the Chole has gone fat. Don't get scared that is normal. Now flush out the water from bowl. Wash the chole 1 or 2 times under running tap water and transfer the Chole to Pressure Cooker. Since, we have taken 1-Cup of Chole so we will add 4-Cups of water into the pressure cooker. Now, put the pressure cooker on high flame and let it give 8 whistles.
Tip 1 : You may add 1/2 tea spoon of salt along with 1-Cup Chole + 4-Cup Water. It helps in softening of Chole.
Tip 2 : If you want to have Chole dish to be with Potatoes, then peel 2 medium size Potatoes. Cut each of them into 4 equal size pieces and put it in pressure cooker along with Chole and Water.
Tip 3 : In the mean time when pressure cooker is on its way you may get materials ready for 'tadka'. If you are not confident enough to work parallel then wait till pressure cooker has given 8 whistles. After that shut down the flame and let the cooker rest in its place on stove.
Step 3 : Tomato paste/pureeTake around 4 medium size tomatoes and grind them in mixer-grinder to make a tomato paste. Depending on your taste you may add 1 green chilly, small piece of ginger and 3-4 piece of garlic, while grinding. But I direclty use Ginger-Garlic paste so I simply use tomato paste alone.
Step 4: Onion ChoppingTake 2 medium size Onions and chop them finely. If you can't chop finely, then grind them.
Step 5 : Tadka5a. Get you bigger Sarbloh Batta or Kadhai on stove. Heat it little on medium flame for 1 minute. Then add 3-4 table spoons of whatever cooking oil you use. Wait for 1 minute let the oil become little warm and you may start seeing fumes coming out.
5b. Now add 1/4 tea spoon of Cumins (zira) seeds to oil. Let the bubbles from cumins seed settle down. Now put the flame little less than medium. Then add finely chopped onions. Stir it and cover the batta with lid. Let the onions cook to brown. Keep stirring on several occasions so that onion do not get stick to batta.
5c. Once onion is brown then add Ginger-Garlic Paste (this is not needed if you have grinded them with tomatoes in Step-3). Stir and cover the lid. Wait for 1 minute.
5d. Now add Turmeric powder (as per taste or 1/4 of tea spoon). Stir and mix well. Wait for 30 sec.
5e. Now add Tomato Paste. Stir & mix well. Bring the flame back to medium. Let it cook for 1-2 min. Keep stiring 1 or 2 time so that paste does not get stick.
5f. Now add 2 tea spoon Coriander (dhaniya) powder. Stir and mix well. Wait for 1 min.
5g. Now add 2 tea spoon Salt (or as per your taste). Stir and mix well. If the paste is sticking then add little water and scratch the tadka which is sticking to surface of batta.
Tip : If you wish to make the Tadka more of a semi-gravy then you may also add 1/2 cup of Curd at this point.
Step 6 : At last FinallyPut the flame back to little less than medium. Transfer the cooker content (along with residual water) to batta containing tadka. Mix well and bring the flame back to Full. Depending on how thick or thin gravy you want you may add that much amount of water to the dish. Cook for 5 - 15 min. Keep stirring at regular interval and keep checking the softness of Chole. I can already smell the dish and faujan has arrived to have it.
If all goes well, I can imagine you shouting loud Jakara in the end and patting your back.
So, you see all it takes is Onions, Tomatoes, little ginger-garlic paste, Turmeric, Coriander Powder and Salt. The dish is nither too masale-daar and neither to flat in taste. If you add little curd then it will add a extra magic.
The main ingredients remain Sarbloh Batta and Gurmantar. The Batta you will get as per this thread [
gurmatbibek.com] but the Gurmantar you will get from Guru Sahib.
Welcome to Sarblohi family. Chardi Kala !!!
Bhul Chuk Maaf.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa,
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥
