Chana masala was one of the first things I learned to cook as a graduate student. It became my favorite go-to meal. I would have it with rice, naan, by itself, as a side, or as a main. It was cheap, quick and always hit the spot. But when I ate out at a Pakistani restaurant, it was Punjabi chole that I would look for.
When I first moved to DC, I began to go to Mehran restaurant for lunch. Mehran was the city’s (by which I mean the district) lone Pakistani restaurant, and I was fortunate enough to work only a couple of blocks away. Every week, I would treat myself to their lunch buffet. While Mehran’s Punjabi chole was never the main, it was always the star that kept me coming back.
Once Mehran unfortunately closed, I had to turn to Ravi restaurant in the suburbs of Ballston to satisfy my chole cravings. I have tried on numerous occasions to recreate Mehran and Ravi’s perfect Punjabi chole but to no avail.
The recipe below can be best described as a compromise, a halfway point between generic chana masala and chole. It’s a recipe that’s been almost eight years in the making, and I will still call it a “hold” recipe.
In my quest to make it my chana masala more dhaba style, this is no longer the quick weeknight meal that I would prepare during graduate school. While it’s not too labor intensive, I would recommend letting the beans simmer in the sauce for 1-2 hours to give them time to absorb the spices. Pro tip: They also nearly always taste better the next day.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oil in a saucepan and brown crushed onion on low heat for about 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a heavy, non-stick saucepan. On low heat, fry garlic for about 30 seconds.
- When it changes color slightly, add coriander, cumin, and red chili powder. Stir for a few seconds. Add splash of water to deglaze the pan.
- Add crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, and stir till the sauce thickens, roughly 3 minutes.
- Add chickpeas, salt and black pepper. Stir and coat with the spicy tomato mixture for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add tamarind to 5 cups of warm water. Dissolve tamarind into water with your fingers. Remove seed, and add tamarind-infused water to the saucepan.
- Bring the masala to a simmer, cover with lid, and lower heat. Let chickpeas cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally to make sure the chickpeas don't stick to the pan. Add water as needed. The longer they cook, the more they will absorb the spices.
- After 1 hour, remove cover. Check for salt and spice. Adjust as needed.
- Add crushed onions and green chili. Stir for 5-7 minutes.
- Add yogurt and garam masala powder. Stir and remove from heat.
Becca says
Hello! This looks delicious- and a lot like something I used to get at a chaat restaurant in Berkeley. I'd really like to try it, but I'm new to working with tamarind- also, since I now live in Utah, I'll almost certainly be buying it (in pods) at my local Mexican market. Is 1-inch one inch of pod? Will the sort of dried out kind they sell in my neighborhood work?
Maryam Jillani says
Hi Becca! Good question and I'll add a note to the recipe to clarify. I normally buy tamarind that is already out of the pod so it's about a one-inch piece of that. I was lucky enough to buy it off an indigenous vendor in Juarez but I have also found it in Asian markets. Once you remove the tamarind from the pod, you will see the fleshy fruit. Take about a one-inch piece of that (or more) after cleaning it. To soften it, I put in warm water. Hope this helps!
Becca says
Hello again! I finally got around to making this- I'm nothing if not a procrastinator- and it was really delicious. Also, it really did taste like a chole/chana masala hybrid! I did have one question, since I'll be making this again: I started with cooked (canned) chickpeas, and after an hour of cook time there was still quite a bit of liquid. Do you usually boil it off, or leave it soupy? I ended up adding a bit of potato starch and cooking it down.
Thanks!
-Becca
Maryam Jillani says
Hi Becca! I'm so glad you finally made it and enjoyed it. Apologies for the late response. The question about consistency is a good one. I got some feedback regarding the first iteration that it was too dry and so I added more water to compensate. I think the consistency is a matter of personal preference and so I'll add some cooking notes to the recipe to clarify!
sarah holverson says
So glad I found your blog! I love chickpeas! I cannot wait to try this recipe!
Larry D. says
Really want to try this but unsure about the tamarind measures. I have a slab of dried tamarind almost an inch thick, what length and width you you recommend I use please?
pakistaneats says
Hi Larry! Thanks so much for your question. I normally use an inch in length and width but you can't really go wrong with tamarind so if you want a sharper, tangier flavor, I would up it to 2 inches. Hope this helps!
Jen says
Mine is so runny! What am I doing wrong?
pakistaneats says
Oh no! Are you cooking it on an induction stove? Sometimes the consistency can vary considerably based on gas versus induction. I would then, reduce the cups of water to just submerge the chickpeas, and then, add hot water on as needed basis to prevent them from sticking to the pot.