Chole Amritsari
An Indian dinner built around chickpeas and onions — on the table in 55 minutes.
✓ USDA-verified nutrition data
199 calories
8g protein
31g carbs
6g fat
12g fiber
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Chickpeas
- 2 Onions
- 3 Tomatoes
- 3 tbsp Mustard oil
- 1.5 tbsp Fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp Anardana pomegranate seeds
- 2 tbsp Chole masala
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 Tea bag
- 1 tbsp Ghee
Steps
- Soak the chickpeas overnight, then simmer with the tea bag 30 minutes until tender — the tea stains them the deep mahogany color Amritsari chole is known for. Discard the tea bag.
- Heat the mustard oil until it smokes lightly, then cool 30 seconds; this single step turns its raw bite into mellow depth.
- Brown the onions 12 minutes until dark golden, then add ginger and tomatoes; cook until the masala turns jammy and the oil glistens at the edges.
- Crush the anardana and stir it in with the chole masala, turmeric, and chili — the dried pomegranate gives the signature sour-sweet tang, no tomato overload needed.
- Tip in the chickpeas with a ladle of their cooking liquor and simmer 15 minutes, mashing a few against the pot to thicken the gravy.
- Finish with a spoon of ghee swirled through off the heat; it rounds the tang without dulling it.
- Serve with bhature, kulcha, or steamed rice, with sliced raw onion and lemon on the side.