Kadhai Chole (chickpea curry)

This chole is really delicious, but it was nothing like the saucy one we get in the restaurants. I realised later that the reason for that is because Chole (Chana) Masala is the saucy one that I was originally looking for. Kadhai Chole is the dry version.

I cooked my own chickpeas, but you could easily use canned ones if you rinse them first. To make your own, simply soak the dried chickpeas in water for several hours (I left them all night), then drain, rinse and boil for at least an hour, or until they're tender. Drain them and put them in the fridge until you're ready to use them.

There are many different masalas out there and I wasn't sure which one to choose. In the end I just picked one and hoped for the best. Clubhouse also had an Indian masala blend. I love the Tandoori Masala for chicken but I have a feeling it would also be good in this recipe. 

The mango powder is easy to find here in Toronto. We have so many different ethnic food stores here, and our regular grocery stores also have ethnic food sections in them. I also found a ready made spice mix for Chole, but I will try it out next time.

Kadhai Chole (chickpea curry)
Adapted from tarladalal.com
Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon avocado oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 2 teaspoons masala
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon mango powder (amchur)
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3 cup cooked chickpeas

Directions

1. In a pan, heat the oil over medium high heat and cook the cumin seeds for a minute until they start to smell.
2. Add the onions, ginger and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
3. Stir in the tomato and cook for 5 minutes more stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in all the spices and cook for another minute.
5. Stir in the chickpeas and water and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
6. I served this with plain yogurt, but you can also serve it with some naan.

Here are some other Chole recipes that are a bit more saucy.
Spice up the Curry - Chole (Chana) Masala
Red Chillies - Chana Masala
Google - I ran a search - check out the images and click for recipes.