Curry

Amritsari Chhole

Name: Amritsari Chhole
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 250 g dried chickpeas (chhole), soaked overnight; 2 dried amla (Indian gooseberry); 1 tbsp ginger, roughly sliced (for boiling); 1 pinch hing (asafoetida); 1 tbsp ghee (for boiling); 3 tbsp coriander seeds; 1 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera); 0.5 tsp black pepper (kali mirch); 8 whole Kashmiri red chillies; 0.3 tsp ajwain (carom seeds); 0.5 tsp aamchoor (dry mango powder); 2 tsp anardaana (dried pomegranate seeds); 1 tsp turmeric (haldi); 1 tsp garam masala; 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves); 3 tbsp fresh coriander (dhaniya patta), finely chopped; 4 tbsp ghee (to finish); 3 green chillies, slit; 2 tbsp ginger, cut into julienne strips; 1 tsp salt; 1 cup reserved cooking liquid; 1 tomato, chopped (for optional tadka); 0.5 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder (for optional tadka)

The chhole of Amritsar are darker, drier and more intense than any other — the chickpeas are soaked and boiled with dried amla until they turn deep mahogany, then coated in a coarse, freshly roasted masala built on pomegranate seeds and dried mango. No onion-tomato gravy here; the flavour comes from whole spices and ghee.

1 hr 30 minServes 4 medium–hot

Method

Soak overnight. The night before, soak the dried chickpeas (chhole) in plenty of water along with the 2 dried amla. The amla darkens the chickpeas and gives them their characteristic deep colour and slight tang. Leave to soak for 8–10 hours.
Pressure cook the chickpeas. Drain the soaked chickpeas. Transfer to a pressure cooker along with the soaked amla, 1 tbsp roughly sliced ginger, a pinch of hing, and 1 tbsp ghee. Add fresh water to cover by 2 inches. Pressure cook on medium heat for 6–7 whistles, then reduce the heat and cook a further 45 minutes until very tender. Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally.
Separate chickpeas and stock. Once the pressure has fully released, carefully separate the boiled chickpeas from the cooking liquid. Reserve at least 1 cup of the dark, flavourful cooking liquid — this is liquid gold for your final consistency. Discard the spent amla pieces.
Dry roast the whole spices. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan on a low flame. Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper, 8 whole Kashmiri red chillies, ajwain, aamchoor and anardaana. Dry roast slowly, stirring often, until deeply fragrant — do not rush this step or the spices will burn. When the aroma blooms, stir in the turmeric and toast for another 5 minutes .
Grind the masala. Remove the roasted spice blend from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Grind to a coarse, slightly textured (dardara) powder — not too fine. Set aside.
Mix and build the chhole. Place the boiled chickpeas in a large bowl or pan. Add the freshly ground masala, garam masala, kasuri methi, the chopped fresh coriander, 4 tbsp ghee, the slit green chillies, the julienned ginger, and salt to taste. Mix everything together thoroughly so every chickpea is coated in the masala.
Adjust consistency. Add the 1 cup reserved cooking liquid and stir to combine. Add more warm water gradually and adjust until you reach your desired consistency — the chhole should be saucy but not watery. Taste and adjust salt and spice.
Optional tadka (tempering). For extra richness, heat a small tadka pan. Add a spoon of ghee, then the chopped tomato and Kashmiri red chilli powder. Sizzle briefly until the tomato softens, then finish with a pinch of fresh coriander. Pour this sizzling tadka over the finished chhole just before serving.

Cook’s notes. The dried amla is the secret to that signature dark colour — no artificial colouring needed. Keep the ground masala coarse (dardara) for a rustic, authentic texture, and don’t skimp on the ghee — it’s what makes Amritsari chhole rich. Always loosen the curry with the reserved cooking water rather than plain water; it carries the flavour of all the whole spices and amla. Serve with bhature, kulcha or puri, topped with sliced onion, green chilli and a squeeze of lemon.

The story

Amritsari chhole belong to the dhabas and street corners of Amritsar, eaten with bhatura or kulcha from morning onwards. The defining technique — boiling the chickpeas with amla or tea to blacken them, then finishing with a dry, roasted spice blend rather than a wet gravy — sets them apart from the Punjabi rajma-style chhole found elsewhere.