Jain Chole Masala
Jain chole masala cooks chickpeas dark and tangy using tomato and dried spices alone.
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8 hr 50 mintotal
50 min hands-on8 hr hands-off
Prep 10 min · Cook 40 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- Medium
Ingredients
Quantities are for 2 servings.
You'll need: Stovetop, Pressure Cooker.
Includes soaking time.
Method
Drain the thoroughly soaked chickpeas and transfer them to a pressure cooker.
Add water, a pinch of salt, and drop in the tea leaves potli. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles until the chole turn completely tender and soft. Discard the tea potli after boiling.
In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the ghee. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, black cardamom, and cinnamon stick, sautéing until deeply fragrant.
Drop in the chopped green chillies, frying rapidly for a few seconds.
Pour in the tomato puree and cook hard until the ghee separates clearly from the solids.
Add the turmeric, red chilli powder, and the specifically sourced Jain chole masala powder. Bloom the dry spices by cooking for 1 minute.
1 min
Transfer the boiled chickpeas into the pan, absolutely retaining their dark, flavor-rich cooking water.
Using the back of your ladle, deliberately mash a small portion of the chickpeas against the pan's edge to naturally thicken the gravy.
Allow the curry to simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes, coaxing all the complex flavors to marry.
10–15 min
Finish by stirring in the dry mango powder (amchur) for a sharp, tangy kick.
Remove from heat and serve hot.
How to tell it's done
A dark, intense, and robustly thick gravy blanketing incredibly soft, melt-in-the-mouth chickpeas.
Getting it right
Tip
The tea leaf potli is a non-negotiable culinary trick to achieve that quintessential, dark dhaba-style aesthetic without imparting any bitter tea flavor.
What to serve it with
Flawless when served steaming hot alongside fluffy Bhature, crisp Puris, or Jeera Rice.
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