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Amritsari chole masala, a spicy chickpea curry with lime and garnishes, served with bread and onions.

Amritsari Chole (Indian Chickpea Masala)

By Shiny Samuel
Amritsari Chole is a bold and flavorful North Indian chickpea curry from the city of Amritsar, Punjab. Unlike regular Punjabi chole, this version is darker, spicier, and tangier, thanks to the use of tea leaves and a special spice blend. Traditionally paired with soft, flaky Amritsari kulchas, it’s a comforting street-style dish that’s hearty, protein-rich, and packed with authentic Punjabi flavors.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Serving Size 6

Video

Equipments

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups dry chickpeas chole/kabuli chana, soaked overnight
  • 2 tsp black tea or 1 tea bag
  • 2 medium red onions finely chopped
  • 1 cup tomato puree or finely chopped tomatoes
  • 3-4 green chilies slit
  • 2 tsp ginger grated
  • ½ tsp garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp ghee or oil for vegan
  • ½ cup fresh coriander leaves chopped

Whole Spices:

  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 2 bay leaves

Ground Spices:

  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp red chili powder or cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder
  • ¼ tsp asafoetida hing
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves
  • 1 tsp dry mango powder (aamchur) or anardana/tamarind juice
  • Salt to taste

Homemade Chole Masala (roast & grind):

  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 3 cloves
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • ½ tsp black peppercorns
  • ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds

Instructions
 

  • Soak dry chickpeas overnight (at least 8 hours). Drain before cooking.
    chickpeas soaking in water in a glass bowl.
  • In a pressure cooker, add soaked chickpeas. Brew 2 tsp black tea in 3 cups hot water, strain, and pour over chickpeas. Add 1 tsp ginger, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp onion, and 1 tsp salt. Cook until chickpeas are soft.
    Stew with chickpeas and chopped onions in a pot, ready to cook.
  • In a small pan, dry roast cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin seeds, peppercorns, and fenugreek seeds for 30–45 seconds. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
    chole masala powder in a mortar
  • Heat ghee/oil in a large pan. Add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. Add onions and cook until golden. Stir in ginger-garlic paste, then add tomato puree. Cook until oil separates.
    Sautéing chopped onions, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and cumin seeds in a pan.
  • Add turmeric, red chili, cumin, coriander, and hing. Sauté 2–3 minutes. Add ground chole masala and mix well.
    Savory tomato curry in a black skillet, flavorful Indian kitchen dish, spicy and rich.
  • Add cooked chickpeas with their cooking water. Adjust consistency by adding more water if needed. Bring to a boil.
    cooked chickpeas on a spicy curry.
  • Stir in aamchur (or tamarind/anardana), green chilies, kasuri methi, and salt. Simmer covered for 8–10 minutes.
    chole in a pot with kasuri methi and green chilies
  • Sprinkle garam masala, fresh coriander, and julienned ginger. Serve hot with kulcha, bhature, poori, or rice.
    Chickpea curry in a black pot with fresh cilantro garnish.

Notes

  • Instead of using aamchur (mango powder) for the sour taste you can also anardana (pomegranate seeds) or tamarind juice.
  • If you have precooked or canned chickpeas then you can skip the pressure cooking part and directly go to making the gravy, and add the chickpeas when the recipe calls to add in the cooked chole. Also be careful with adding salt as the store bought precooked or canned chickpeas usually have salt in them.

Serving Suggestions

  • Best enjoyed with Amritsari kulcha for an authentic experience.
  • Also pairs beautifully with fluffy bhature, crispy poori, soft parathas, or plain basmati rice.

Nutrition (Estimates Only)

Serving: 1gCalories: 315kcalCarbohydrates: 52.6gProtein: 14.7gFat: 6.8gSodium: 600mgFiber: 14.4gSugar: 10.9gVitamin C: 19.9mgCalcium: 97mgFolate: 391µgIron: 4.95mg