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Delhi is synonymous with chole bhature. Similarly, famous cities of Punjab like Amritsar and Ludhiana are popular for chole kulche. These two dishes lie in the pivot of north Indian cuisine and one cannot imagine the gastronomic trail of north Indian food without featuring these two dishes.
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Mostly, chole in a lot of Indian households is made by mixing chickpeas in a very heavy tomato-based gravy that has flavours of onions and garlic. This gravy is mixed with everyday Indian masalas like turmeric, red chilli powder, and cumin seed powder. While this mainstream recipe of chole is delicious, there are also a lot of regional Chole recipes that one can try pairing with kulcha and bhatura. Here are some famous chole dishes that you can try making at home.
* Amritsari Chole
Amritsari chole is a tangy and spicy dish that has originated from Amritsar in Punjab. It is extremely flavourful and hearty. The dish is primarily made from chickpeas that are boiled and then mixed with a tangy and spicy gravy made from ginger-garlic, green chilies, tomato puree, turmeric powder, bay leaves and a lot of desi ghee. These chole are very popular because of the generous use of spices and they have a very dense and less gravy.
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* Chana Masala
Channa masala is another popular chickpea dish that is very popular in different parts of north India. This dish can be combined with different types of flatbreads and obviously kulcha and bhatura. Chana masala has a substantial gravy that has evident flavours of ginger garlic, turmeric, and garam masala. A lot of red chilli powder is also used in making this dish along with amchoor. Chana masala can also be combined with some white rice.
* Chole Paneer
Chole paneer is a very nutritious and healthy way of making a chickpea curry at home. It is made by combining small diced pieces of cottage cheese in a chickpea curry that enhances its nutritional profile and also gives a creamy touch to the chickpeas. The most evident flavour in this curry is that of curry leaves. Curry leaves help to add a different sort of freshness to the dish to make it more complete.
* Achari Chole
Achari chole as the name suggests is a spicy and tantalising version of chickpea curry. It is tangy, spicy, and subtly sour. The dish is made in mustard oil, which is why it has a very dense flavour. It is a concoction of a lot of Indian masalas like turmeric, cumin powder, red chilli powder, amchur, and others. All of these ingredients, when mixed with chickpeas and mustard oil give out a flavour that resembles Indian pickles.
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* Pindi Chole
Pindi chole is a minimal version of chickpea curry that is cooked by using minimum ingredients like onions, tomatoes, and a handful of spices. The concept of this dish originated from small villages in Punjab. This dish as the name suggests is connected to the very roots of Punjab and is a very homely and simple dish that can be paired well with both kulche and bhature. Despite the use of minimum spices, the dish has a very robust flavour. Some tomato paste is used in the dish to give it a thick gravy.
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* Palak Chana
Palak chana is a tempting yet healthy dish for people who want to enjoy food to the fullest yet not compromise on the health portion. One has to simply add some spinach to chana masala which not only helps boost its nutritional profile but also adds a lot of vibrant flavours and colour to the dish. Spinach is very rich in iron and magnesium. Chickpea is a great source of protein as well as different minerals. The combination of these two ingredients along with some spices and tomato puree makes a delicious main course dish that can be served with different types of flatbreads.
* Coconut Chole
Coconut chhole is a slight deviation from the regular and conventional chole recipe. Generally, North Indian people like to make chickpeas in a very spicy and tantalising way. However, for people who like to have more creamy and nominally spiced food, this is the right dish to make at home. Coconut chole is made by mixing coconut milk and grated coconut with chickpeas. In this mixture, one has to add spices like turmeric, red chilli powder, and garam masala along with tomato puree. All of this has to be cooked on slow heat until the chickpeas absorb the flavour of coconut properly. In the end, one has to add salt and some black pepper as per taste.
