Pindi chana recipe or pindi chole is a famous side dish for bhatura, kulcha, roti or other indian flat breads from Rawalpindi, hence the name pindi chana. Step by step detailed pictures post.
I wanted to try chana masala recipe with tea as ingredient, as I heard it from few friends. So found this pindi chana recipe in a cookbook I borrowed from library. This is the 3rd or 4th time I am making this. This has become my kiddo's favourite now, who hated chana before. The only person now I have to convince is my hubby…Still he is ok with this for once in a while. I have never had this or even know before until I saw in blogs and cookbooks.
The pindi chana/ pindi chole picture in the cookbook was very dark and had less masala coated,that must be because, I reduced the chana but not the other things. The reason for a lighter shade must be the tea bags, I used only one while its was mentioned for 2. I was afraid using tea as my kid is allergic to caffeine. This is not gravy kind, its comes out a bit dry . But soft and yummy chole goes well with poori or bhatura!
Recipe card
Pindi chana recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Chana /chickpeas
- 2 tablespoon Chana dal
- 2 Onion finely chopped
- 3 Tomato chopped
- 1 Green chilli
- 1 or 2 Tea bag
- 1 Moti elachi Big cardamom
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 1 inch Ginger chopped
- 2 teaspoon Anardana seeds pomegranate seed Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dhania powder
- ½ teaspoon Red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon channa masala powder - 1 tsp
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala powder
- 1 pinch Cooking soda
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Coriander leaves chopped
- Salt
Instructions
- Soak chana overnight. Add chana dal, cooking soda,tea bag,cinnamon and elachi. Pressure cook up to 1 whistle and simmer the flame to lowest and cook for 20 minutes.Make sure to add water enough to immerse channa.
- Heat oil in pan and add onions and fry till transparent.Add anar dana powder and give it a quick stir. Add chopped tomatoes, ginger, salt and green chilli. Fry for 3-4 minutes.
- Add dhania powder,red chilli powder, garam masala. Fry until oil separates.
- Strain channa from the cooker and reserve the water. Remove tea bag,elachi and cinnamon.Add channa to onion tomato masala and mix well.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes in medium flame. Lastly add channa masala and the reserved water. Cook again for 15 minutes. This masala has to be little dry.
Notes
- Tea bags sure adds a wonderful fragrance to the masala…I added only one, if you add 2 I think you can get a darker colour.
- Cooking time is very high, but that only makes the channa blend well with the masala and makes it softest.
- I didn't add anardana powder,but sure its a star ingredient in this masala, I will sure add next time after I buy that…I added a teaspoon of amchoor powder instead..
- Serve with the toppings (chopped raw onion, coriander, lemon juice, green chilli by side), it's best way of serving.
- It gets more thick/dry when cooled.
Pindi chana method:
-
- Soak chana overnight with enough water. It gets blown up nicely, so add lots of water.
- Next day, drain and change the water. Add chana dal, cooking soda, tea bag, cinnamon and elachi.
- Pressure cook until 1 whistle and simmer the flame to lowest and cook for 20 minutes. Make sure to add water enough to cook chana.
- Heat oil in pan and add onions and fry till transparent.
- Add anardana powder and give it a quick stir. Add chopped tomatoes, ginger, salt and green chilli.
- Fry for 3-4 minutes. Add dhania powder, red chilli powder, garam masala.
- Fry until oil separates.
- Strain chana from the cooker and reserve the water. Remove tea bag,elachi and cinnamon. Add chana to onion tomato masala and mix well.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes in medium flame.
- Lastly add channa masala powder and the reserved water.
- Cook again in low flame for 10 minutes. This masala has to be little dry.
To serve, add chopped onion,lemon juice and coriander leaves on top and enjoy with bhatura or poori or chapati.
suganthi says
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suganthi says
Wow!! Wonderful recipe!!! Love the way u prepared it.....
Priya's Feast says
Wow..Tempting Channa masala with the hint of tea flavour..luv it
Prathibha says
I love this absolutely..looks delicious
Vardhini says
Love the presentation and the pictures look so inviting.
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Sudha Sabarish says
Absolutely very new to me and surely will taste yummy.Tempting a lot.
Sharmilee! :) says
This is my fav anytime...but havent tried it at home...looks so flavourful n yummy
cookingvarieties says
hi raks kitchen. i dont think i can try this out cods we dont have the fundamental ingredients like daana seeds and dhana plus channa powder.
the delicious dish will not taste great without these missing ingredients.
Divya Kudua says
Love the dark hue,definitely a must-try.
Radhika says
I love this with Bhaturas. Made it last week and it is waiting to be published. Clicks are good.
Premalatha Aravindhan says
Sure it take delicious,very tempting clicks as ever...
Mugdha says
wow lovely recipe and adding tea bags to chhole is a new thing 4 me...thnx for the recipe...:)
Kaveri says
Very tempting clicks....Perfect with some bhature
Gayathri NG says
Perfect for poori and bhatura..loved it..the last picture is so cute..
Happy Cook / Finla says
Channa is something we love here and I try tomake it in different ways and this one looks so so super delicious.
notyet100 says
My sons fav too,..;) looks delicious ,..
Paaka Shaale says
The pindi cahna looks so mouth watering. Loved the presentation 🙂
Archana says
Yummy looks delicious. Bookmarked.
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Uma says
Nice recipe. Love the way you decorated the bowl with onion and lime.
Cheers,
Uma
Chitra says
Looks delicious. never tried this.. Bookmarked.
Shobha Kamath says
Chole is a good combo with Batura. Nice presentation!
spontaneous-euphoria says
I love chole! YUMMY RECIPE.
Janu says
Looks so yum!!! Have never tried or tasted before!!
Sanctified Spaces says
Cool side dish recipe.Nice clicks as usual.
Shama Nagarajan says
too tempting dear
aipi says
Just need some arma garam bhaturas n I am all set ~ inviting n delicious pindi chole Raji ~ my all time fav 🙂
USMasala
Laavanya says
This is kind of how my neighbour's version of chole looks like - it's amazing! 🙂
Shri says
I never knew to add a tea bag into Chole for a different version. That is a neat idea. Love Nita Mehta's recipes.
Suja says
This looks wonderful..drool worthy chole
Shanthi says
A real tempting chole and beautiful clicks. The new layout of posts looks superb.
Pavithra says
I exactly do the same way Raji.. and make it very very often. wish i can have bhatura and chole now 🙂
Pavithra says
But one thing is I add more water in the masala and cook the channa in low flame for long time , in that way the channa absorbs spices and tastes sooo good.
RAKS KITCHEN says
Pavi, I too add the reserved water in which we cook the channa and simmer it for 15 minutes after that as I have mentioned in the last step. After that only the masala gets thick and dry...
Gopika Ram says
Wow.. love the look of your chole. i have to try yours 🙂
jeyashrisuresh says
Mouthwatering dish. I recently tried cooking Chana with tea bags. Nice presentation
Kalpana Sareesh says
wow to good dish.. am yet to try with the tea bag..hv heard abt this option ..good n yummyy
Prathima Rao says
Mouthwatering chana!! Now i all i need are some hot bhaturas to go with it 😉
Prathima Rao
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Aarthi says
i love channa in anyform...YUM YUm...great combo with roti
Priti says
One of my fav. ...have in draft to post too 😀
SpicyTasty says
yummy..looks fabulous..
Treat and Trick says
Great presentation and looks so yum!
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Ramya says
looks very yum
Sush says
last picture is good. I too make my own channa masala. Tastes great!
divya says
Looks very tempting.
Sobha Shyam says
wow, lovely chana recipe, looks absolutely delicious..
Vijitha says
Looks delicious, just like in restuarants. Give me two bhaturas and a bowl of your yummy channa, I think I will disappear to a lonely place to enjoy them.
Indrani says
The Bowl of pindi chana is absolutely tempting, Raks...the pics are as usual wonderful, u r very creative...I also posted kadai chole recep yesterday, what a coincidence..
Anonymous says
The first picture looks very tempting..and the addition of tea bag is very interesting.This is a surely a recipe which I am going to try 🙂
Sushma Mallya says
I simply adore pindi chole Raji ...looks awesome:)...perfect with batura:)
Priya says
I can grab that bowl and finish it like a snack,simply inviting..
Nalini's Kitchen says
It looks Yummy...
ANU says
mouth watering dear...hope I was thr to eat it!...
bookmarked it will surely try this!
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sanjeeta kk says
I do use the tea bags for making channa..and love the presentation and the clicks, Raji!
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Rityka @ Pinky says
hi!!....ur blog looks simply awesome!!...have bcum fan of ur cooking!...thnx for all the nice recipes!...:)
Smitha says
Yummy dish and yummy click!
Jay says
truly irresistable..:)
Tasty Appetite
priya ravi says
Adding tea bag to channa.. looks quite interesting.. want to try but wondering if there is any alternate option for pomegranate seeds powder..
Hamaree Rasoi says
I also make pindi chole with tea leaves. It gives a beautiful color. I have tagged you in a game so please come and visit my blog
Deepa
Hamaree Rasoi
Now Serving says
chole looks amazing - the only ingredient that I wonder about is the cooking soda - sometimes makes it too soft? or not really?
Richa says
i cant have enough chole recipes!! and we never tire of pindi chana at my home for sure!
Yours looks amazing! btw, you can use dry mango powder or rock salt instead of pomegranate seeds powder.. though they are really the best for chole! love your step by step pictures!
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saranya says
very gud pics.
i tried it n ur potato curry,bth came out well,,thnks 4 sharing...
Saranya Shanmugam says
Can I use Green Tea bag?
Raks anand says
I am afraid it would not be good!
Unknown says
I tried this today and adding the tea bag made the water sweeter. Did it happen to you too?
Unknown says
I tried this today and adding tea bag turned the channa water sweet. Did this happen to you too?
Raks anand says
Does your tea bag has sweetener in it. I didn't had that problem