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    Home » Recipes » Entrees

    Pindi Chole (Punjabi Chole) - No Onion No Garlic

    Jump to Recipe

    An Instant pot version of the Pindi Chole recipe without onion, garlic, and tea bags, but still the same authentic flavors and dark brown color. This Pindi Chole recipe, also known as Punjabi Chole, uses 18 different spices to achieve a unique and delicate balance of spices with many recipe enhancements, creating a perfect aroma to entice everybody and please the palate. If you want to try a chole without onion and garlic, you will love this recipe.

    Pindi Chole Recipe – No Onion No Garlic
    Jump to:
    • What is Pindi Chole (Punjabi Chole)?
    • What Makes this Pindi Chole Recipe So Flavorful
    • My Tips for the Best Pindi Chole (Punjabi Chole)
    • How to Make Pindi Chole in an Instant Pot
    • How to Serve
    • Recipe

    While growing up in India, I thought chickpeas, or chole, could only be used for an authentic Amritsari Pindi Chole recipe. However, since I started traveling abroad, I noticed the popularity of chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, as a staple ingredient in many cuisines. Chickpeas initially cultivated in the Mediterranean region, increased in popularity worldwide due to their culinary versatility. They are one of the healthiest foods, full of good carbohydrates, healthy protein, and fiber. Chickpeas have a low glycemic index, making them an ideal option for people who want to avoid blood sugar spikes.

    What is Pindi Chole (Punjabi Chole)?

    Pindi Chole is also known as Punjabi Chole. Chole means chickpeas, so Pindi Chole is a flavourful chickpea curry dish. To make Pindi Chole, you typically soak dried chickpeas overnight (or you can use canned chickpeas for faster preparation). The chickpeas are then simmered in tomato onion gravy. The complexity and flavor profile of the recipe depends on how many spices you use and the perfection you are looking for.

    Amritsari Pindi chole is commonly paired with a leavened deep-fried bread called bhature.

    What Makes this Pindi Chole Recipe So Flavorful

    The authentic Amritsari Pindi Chole recipe is made by simmering boiled Chickpeas or Chole in onion tomato gravy with numerous spices. Since Pindi Chole is a crowd-pleaser recipe, it works excellently for entertaining friends or hosting a get-together. Often, these get-togethers are for spiritual and religious occasions where one would need Sattvic (no onion and garlic) food. Hence, I am sharing my take on a chole recipe without onion or garlic, which contains a great list of ancient Ayurvedic spices, like ginger, cumin, carom, cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, dry annardana, turmeric, and tamarind. These spices are excellent sources of potassium and calcium, with powerful anti-inflammatory properties while aiding digestion.

    Spices used for this Amritsari Pindi Chole recipe

    My Tips for the Best Pindi Chole (Punjabi Chole)

    Those who follow my recipes know I always want to enhance them to make them more healthy, flavorful, and unique. In this no onion, no garlic chole recipe, you will find some key modifications compared to the authentic recipe I developed over the years after many experiments and trials.

    Amritsari Punjabi Chole (No Onion-Garlic)
    1. First and foremost, you don’t need to use tea leaves or bags to bring out the dark tone or hue of the chole. I use a healthy ingredient called "dry amala (gooseberry) slices," which also increases the iron content of this dish.
    2. Have you ever cooked Pindi Chole in mustard oil? Try it next time when you cook because it greatly enhances this dish's overall flavor.
    3. Adding a boiled, mashed potato to the gravy is a game changer. It helps to thicken the gravy and elevates this dish to another level.
    4. Adding roasted and ground cumin seeds, cardamom seeds, dry amla powder, and tamarind pulp instead of amchur powder provides so much flavor and nutrition to this dish.
    5. Don’t forget to add a few paneer cubes towards the end of the cooking process.
    6. This chole recipe without onion and garlic can also be vegan if you do not add paneer cubes at the end or substitute with extra firm Tofu.

    How to Make Pindi Chole in an Instant Pot

    Some preparation is needed if you make this Pindi Chole (Punjabi Chole) recipe with dried chickpeas rather than canned chickpeas.

    If using dried chickpeas - the chickpeas must be soaked for at least 6-8 hours in water before cooking. This is needed to obtain the right texture. Overnight soaking works best, but if you are in a hurry, you can also soak the chickpeas in hot water for 3-4 hours. Keep changing the hot water as the water cools down with time. After soaking, discard the water and cook the chickpeas in fresh water using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot.

    Using canned chickpeas will significantly reduce the cooking time to less than half. To make Pindi Chole with canned chickpeas, prepare the tomato masala/gravy in an Instant pot or stovetop pressure cooker.

    1. Before starting to cook, prepare a masala bag and keep it aside for later use. To make a masala bag, take all the ingredients from the masala bag group and crush them. Put them in a spice bag or make a potli using cheesecloth.
    2. Set the Instant Pot to 'Saute' mode and adjust the heat setting to 'Normal' level. When the display reads hot, add oil to the inner pot.
    3. Add hing, cumin seeds, ajwain, and bay leaves when the oil heats up.
    4. Next, coarsely crush dry annardana in a mortar and pastel and add to the oil. Sauté the spices in the oil for a few seconds.
    5. Then add julienne ginger and chilies, and fry for approximately 30 seconds.
    6. Add tomato puree, mix thoroughly, put a glass lid on, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the oil separates from the tomato masala.
    7. When tomato masala starts separating oil, add all the spices and mix well.
    8. Add boiled and mashed potato, mix well, and saute for another five minutes.
    9.  While tomato masala and potatoes are getting sauteed, rinse and drain the canned chickpeas.
    10. Add rinsed chickpeas, dry amla, masala bag, and water to the tomato masala. and stir everything well.
    11. Cancel the saute mode at this point, close the lid, set the vent to 'sealing', and pressure cook for 8 minutes on Pressure Cook/Manual mode.
    12. Wait for the pressure to release naturally, and open the lid after the pin drops. Remove the masala bag/potli.
    13. Mash up a few beans using a potato masher or a wooden spoon. This makes the Pindi Chole creamy and thick. Turn on saute mode and add tamarind pulp, mix well.
    14. Add paneer cubes and cover to simmer for a few minutes on saute mode. This will help the paneer to absorb the flavors from the spices.
    15. Pindi Chole is ready to devour; top it with some fresh cilantro and ginger before serving it with Bhatura.

    How to Serve

    For condiments, some people prefer spiced green chilies. However, I like to serve it with sweet and sour green mango launji. Both of these are shown in the picture below. 

    Pindi chole is commonly paired with a leavened deep-fried bread called Bhature.

    Pindi chole served with green chilies and sweet and sour green mango launji

    I hope you will try this Pindi Chole recipe without onion and garlic. Please comment and let me know how your friends and family liked it!

    Recipe

    Pindi Chole (Punjabi Chole) Recipe – No Onion No Garlic
    5 from 9 votes

    Pindi Chole (Punjabi Chole) - No Onion No Garlic

    An Instant pot version of the Pindi Chole recipe without onion, garlic, and tea bags, but still the same authentic flavors and deep brown color. Pindi Chole, also known as Punjabi Chole, uses 18 different spices to achieve a unique and delicate balance of spices with many recipe enhancements, creating a perfect aroma to entice everybody and please the palate.
    Review Print Pin Share
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time50 mins
    Soaking Time8 hrs
    Total Time1 hr
    Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Hindu, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Amritsari Punjabi Chole, Authentic Punjabi Chole, Chole, Chole Bhature, Punjabi Chole
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 278kcal
    Author: Rupali Agarwal

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot or pressure cooker

    Ingredients

    • 2 cup Chickpeas boiled and some mashed
    • 800 gm Tomato 8 tomatoes puree ~ 3 cups puree
    • 200 gm Potatoes 1 medium sized boiled mashed
    • 250 gm Paneer small cubes
    • 20 gm Ginger 1 inch piece julienned
    • 5 gm Greenchilies 3-4 slits as per spice level
    • 15 gm Cilantro handful

    Spices:

    • 2 tablespoon Mustard Oil
    • ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida Hing
    • 1 tablespoon Cumin seeds
    • 1 teaspoon Carom seeds Ajwain
    • 2 Bay leaves
    • 1 tablespoon Annardana
    • 1 teaspoon Black rock Salt
    • 2 teaspoon Salt adjust as per taste
    • 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
    • ½ teaspoon Red chili powder as per spice level
    • 2 teaspoon Coriander seeds powder
    • 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds toasted and ground
    • ¼ teaspoon Black pepper ¼ tsp
    • 1 teaspoon Amla powder
    • 1 tbsp. Chana masala
    • 2 teaspoon Chaat masala
    • 1 tbsp. Tamarind pulp
    • 2 tablespoon Kasoori methi optional

    Masala bag:

    • 1 teaspoon Black peppercorns
    • Cloves 6-8 pieces
    • 2 Cinnamon powder small pieces
    • Green cardamom 2 pieces
    • Black cardamom 1 piece
    • 2 gm Dry ginger saunth small piece

    Instructions

    • Soak for at least 6-8 hours or overnight. Put soaked and washed chickpeas in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot with 2.5 times the freshwater of dry chickpeas quantity. Add 2 tablespoon dry amla as well.
      Amritsari Punjabi Chole Bhature Chickpea Recipe Enhance Your Palate
    • For Masala Bag, take all the ingredients from the masala bag group and crush them. Put them in a spice bag or make a potli using cheesecloth.
      Amritsari Punjabi Chole Bhature Chickpea Recipe Enhance Your Palate
    • You can use a conventional pressure cooker, electric pressure cooker, or Instant Pot. If using an instant pot, pressure cook on High for 25 minutes. NR (Natural Release) after cooking time is over. TIP: To save time, I have prepared the masala simultaneously on the cooktop in a pan while the chickpeas are getting pressure cooked.
      Amritsari Punjabi Chole Bhature Chickpea Recipe Enhance Your Palate
    • Heat oil in a pan. Add hing, cumin seeds, ajwain, and bay leaves.
      Amritsari Punjabi Chole Bhature Chickpea Recipe Enhance Your Palate
    • Crush annardana in a mortar and pastel and add to hot oil.
      Amritsari Punjabi Chole Bhature Chickpea Recipe Enhance Your Palate
    • Sauté them for a few seconds, then add julienne ginger and chilies and sauté for a minute.
      Amritsari Punjabi Chole Bhature Chickpea Recipe Enhance Your Palate
    • Add tomato puree and mix well.
      Amritsari Punjabi Chole Bhature Chickpea Recipe Enhance Your Palate
    • Covered and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, at the end, it should look like in the picture.
      Amritsari Punjabi Chole Bhature Chickpea Recipe Enhance Your Palate
    • When tomato puree achieves that consistency, add all the spices and mix well.
      Amritsari Punjabi Chole Bhature Chickpea Recipe Enhance Your Palate
    • Add boiled, and mashed potato mix well, and cook for five minutes.
      Amritsari Punjabi Chole Bhature Chickpea Recipe Enhance Your Palate
    • Add boiled chickpeas to the tomato gravy and mix well, add some water to adjust the consistency.
      Amritsari Punjabi Chole Bhature Chickpea Recipe Enhance Your Palate
    • Add tamarind pulp, mix well and let the Pindi Chole simmer for a few minutes.
      Amritsari Punjabi Chole Bhature Chickpea Recipe Enhance Your Palate
    • Towards the end of the cooking, add paneer cubes and cover to simmer for a few minutes on medium-low heat. This will help paneer to absorb the flavors from the spices.
      Amritsari Punjabi Chole Bhature Chickpea Recipe Enhance Your Palate
    • Pindi Chole is ready to devour; top it with some fresh cilantro and ginger before serving it with Bhatura.
      Amritsari Punjabi Chole Bhature Chickpea Recipe Enhance Your Palate

    Video

    Notes

    For condiments, some people prefer spiced green chillies. However, I like to have these with sweet and sour green mango launji. 
    Hope you are motivated to try this recipe. Please leave comment on how your friends and family liked it. Stay Enhanced!
    Nutrition Facts
    Pindi Chole (Punjabi Chole) - No Onion No Garlic
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 278 Calories from Fat 108
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 12g18%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Cholesterol 17mg6%
    Sodium 724mg31%
    Potassium 609mg17%
    Carbohydrates 32g11%
    Fiber 9g38%
    Sugar 8g9%
    Protein 13g26%
    Vitamin A 842IU17%
    Vitamin C 14mg17%
    Calcium 194mg19%
    Iron 4mg22%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    Hi, I'm Rupali! Welcome to my food blog where I love to share healthy vegetarian recipes from my North Indian roots and present day. My recipes range from simple to elaborate showstoppers.

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