Cholaayy - Plain & Simple

I can try any and every recipe without thinking twice about the implications & the number of servings that I'll have to finish if no one likes the dish... but "Chole" is a whole different story altogether...

I make it very rarely... mostly because I could never figure out how the typical north-y restaurants get the exact taste out of the same ingredients that I use, while I sit in a puddle of red colored gravy with gravy & whole barely touching each other... Yes this has happened to me.. and I don't want to go into the gory details.. :)

But here's a recipe that I learnt from my son's care-taker.. we all call her Aunty.. me, my hubby and my son .. she's the universal aunty... She's a lovely person who's warm and strict at the same time..& her north-y dishes.. are YUMMMM....

Her chole recipe is here... the one thing worth noting is that.. I followed her instructions step by step.. while she played with my son in the living room.. and I got everyone to like my whole just like they like hers.. ain't it neat !!!

Ohh yea.. another thing.. this recipe does not use any whole masala or anything.. just regular stuff that you'll always have in your kitchen pantry...

So.. without further adieu.. lets start .. shall we??

What we used..

• 2 cups of dried chole.. soaked overnight in water
• 6 to 7 fat garlic pods
• 2 inches ginger - roughly chopped
• 1 medium red onion - roughly chopped
• 1 medium size tomato - roughly chopped
• 2 green chillies (more if you can take more heat)
• 1 tea spoon or may be less red chili powder
• 1 tea spoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 2 black cardamom pods - pounded once or twice
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 1 bay leaf
• 10-15 whole pepper corns  (powder won't do)
• 1 tablespoon cumin powder
• 2 table spoons coriander powder
• 1 tea spoon garam masala powder
• Oil, Salt & Turmeric

Process

• In a pressure cooker add the soaked chole + salt + wee bit turmeric + 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds + all the cardamom pods (black & green) + pepper corns + Bay leaf
• Pressure cook on medium heat for 6 whistles.. the additions impart lovely flavor.. and cooking it perfectly is the first high note.. if you hit that.. you're a hit !!
• Now.. at this time, heat your pan & get your grinder ready.. yes, we will multi-task
• While oil is heating in the pan, coarsely grind the garlic
• To the hot oil add the rest of the cumin seeds & when they crackle add the garlic & fry (Keep the heat on low to medium)
• New in the grinder goes the ginger + onions while the garlic is frying sending out nice aroma throughout the house
• When garlic is brownish.. add the ginger+onion paste & saute'.. 
• While the masala is sauté-ing.. grind the tomatoes + green chillies next...
• Once oil separates from the masala.. its time to add the tomatoes & green chili paste.. 
• Next add Salt + turmeric + Jeera powder + Coriander powder
• Saute' by sprinking little water if you think the masala is drying up faster than its cooking.
• When the masala is cooked, the raw smell would have gone, oil would be separating from the sides & the color of the masala will be awesome crimson.
• At this point, add the cooked chole into the pan & mix well.
• Adjust seasoning & give it a nice boil in the open pan first
• Next add garam masala powder, mix well & cover and cook for at least 20 mins.
• Add more warm water if you think the gravy is reducing more than what you want it to.
• Every time you add water, of course you need to check for seasoning. 

Enjoy with hot & round bhaturas (recipe coming soon).. or roti.. or veg pulao.. or what rice..