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Pindi Chole - Chickpea Curry with Cinnamon, Cardamom and Caramelized Onion Sauce. Instant Pot or Saucepan
5 from 12 votes

Pindi Chole - Chickpea Curry with Cinnamon, Cardamom and Caramelized Onion Sauce. Instant Pot or Saucepan

Pindi Chole is a chickpea curry characterized by warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and bay leaf combined with a caramelized onion, garlic, and ginger sauce. The chickpeas are cooked either in a pressure cooker or saucepan, then simmered in the spiced onion sauce enriched with dry mango powder for a sour accent. This results in a hearty, aromatic curry with layered flavors and a mildly spiced, tangy profile.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 226 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian, Vegan, gluten-free

Ingredients

Chickpeas:
  • 1 cup chickpeas dried
  • 1 cinnamon stick , 2 inch
  • 2 green cardamom partially cracked open
  • 1 black cardamom , optional but definitely use it if you can find it
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 1/4 tsp kala namak (Indian sulphur Salt)
  • 1 tea black tea plain), optional, bag
Sauce:
  • 1 tsp neutral cooking oil organic safflower, generic cooking oil
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 1 onion chopped or minced, medium
  • 2 tsp chana masala spice blend or use 1.5 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp coriander powder, or chole masala
  • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp amchoor powder dry mango powder (adds a sour profile
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • onion lemon juice and pepper flakes for garnish

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Soak the chickpeas for atleast an hour or 4 hours. Combine in a pressure cooker(instant Pot) with 2 to 2.5 cups water with the rest of the ingredients under chickpeas. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. See note for saucepan option
  2. Blend the garlic, ginger, onion with a few tbsp of water to make puree. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add blended onion ginger garlic. and cook stirring occasionally until golden and onion doesnt smell raw (10 to 13 mins). Alternatively add minced garlic and ginger and cook for a minute, then add finely chopped onion and continue to cook until golden-translucent.
  3. Add the spices and mix in. Cook for half a minute. 
  4. Add cooked chickpeas with the whole spices, salt,and some of the cooking water or fresh water to the saucepan and simmer covered for 10 to 15 minutes. (alternatively, add the onion mixture and salt to the chickpeas(In Instant pot)) . Taste and adjust salt and spice (add more water if needed). Press saute and Simmer for 10 minutes. Add a pinch of sugar to balance if needed. 
  5. Serve garnished with chopped onions, lemon juice, pepper flakes with rice or flatbread or over Potato Cutlets (tikki). Or make a bowl with roasted veggies.  You can remove the whole spices before serving. I usually keep them in in the serving container, so they stay with the leftover chickpeas that get stored. 

Notes

  • For a sour profile substitute amchoor with a pinch of kala namak and 1 tsp or more lemon juice.
  • When cooking chickpeas in a saucepan, soak overnight then simmer with spices for 50 minutes or until tender.
  • Using canned chickpeas, drain and add with whole spices and reduced water in the sauce; cook for 15 minutes or longer.
  • The recipe yields about four servings and does not include rice or side dishes in nutrition.

Nutrition Information

Calories 226kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 37g (12%) Protein 10g (20%) Fat 4g (6%) Sodium 450mg (19%) Potassium 501mg (11%) Fiber 10g (40%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 35IU (1%) Vitamin C 5.9mg (7%) Calcium 78mg (8%) Iron 3.4mg (19%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 226

% Daily Value*

Calories 226kcal 11%
Carbohydrates 37g 12%
Protein 10g 20%
Fat 4g 6%
Sodium 450mg 19%
Potassium 501mg 11%
Fiber 10g 40%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 35IU 1%
Vitamin C 5.9mg 7%
Calcium 78mg 8%
Iron 3.4mg 19%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.