Amritsari Chole - Pressure Cooker

Blogging Marathon # 35 Week 2 Day 1

Theme : Pressure Cooker Recipes
Course : Main course

When we were given the themes for this month challenge i was very happy to pick pressure cooker recipes, preparing in pressure cooker not only saves energy but also saves time too. I love to make traditional punjabi dishes such as Maa ki Daal, Dal Makhani, Chole, Rajma in cooker reason one is that it cooks faster and taste better and gives the authentic taste as of slow cooking gives and secondly it is one pot recipe, once you saute the gravy and rest is taken care of, no hazel of stirring or sticking at bottom of pan.

My first post under this theme is Amritsari chole recipe, which i learnt from my husband, he too is great cook and there would be no better occasion to showcase his recipe. Lets make Amritsari Chole.

Preparation time : 10 mins + Soaking time : 6 - 8 hrs

Cooking time : 40 mins

Serves : 4

Difficulty level : Easy

Ingredients :

2 cup channa / white chick peas

1/2 cup onion finely chopped

1/2 cup tomato crushed / pulp

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp lal mirch / red chilli powder

1 tsp haldi/ turmeric

1tsp dhania powder / coriander powder

1/2 tsp anar dhana / dry pomegranate seeds

1/2 tbsp grated ginger

1/2 tbsp garlic paste

salt to taste

2 bay leaves

1 tsp jeera

For Masala/ Spice Blend:

5 cloves / laung

1"  cinnamon bark/ taj

3 choti ealichi/ green cardamom 

3 kali elaichi / black cardamom

1/2 tbsp black pepper

For Garnish:

1 dollop butter

few slices of onions

Other things required:

Pressure cooker

Spoon

Grinder or grater

Method : 

• Soak channa in water for atleast 6 - 8 hrs or overnight.
• Heat butter and oil in pressure cooker on slow heat. When it gets hot add bay leave and jeera seeds.
• When it is brown add finely chopped onions, saute for a min, add ginger garlic and saute for a 2 -3 mins.
• Grind the spice blend to coarse powder.
• Once the onions are golden brown add all the spices and saute for couple of minutes, add in crushed tomatoes.
• Saute for 10 mins or till the oil seperates, add in soaked channa and saute for a 2 - 3 mins.
• Add around 2 -3 cups of water, let the water boil.
• Close the lid of the cooker and pressure cook for 6 - 8 whistles.
• After whistles, simmer for 5 mins.
• Open the cooker when it is cool.
• After opening the lid if the gravy has not thickened simmer it for 5 mins or till the gravy has thickened.
• Transfer to bowl ans serve hot with puri or bhature or kulcha

Note :

• Soak channa in hot water if you want to make channa in an hour or so.
• Let the masala saute well in oil, this is necessary to extract the flavours of the spices.
• Never cook or saute the gravy in high flame.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#35 

Hope you have enjoyed reading this post. Please take a minute to share views and valuable comments. Regards,
Briju Parthasarathy