Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1.Prepare the Spice Pouch for Boiling Chickpeas

   On a muslin cloth, place 1 piece of cinnamon, 1 bay leaf, 2 black cardamoms, 4 cloves, a little black pepper, 3 red chilies, and 3 spoons of tea leaves. Tie all these ingredients securely in the muslin cloth to form a pouch.

2. 2.Boil Chickpeas

   Add 200 gms of soaked chickpeas to a pressure cooker. Add a little chopped ginger and 2 garlic cloves. Place the prepared spice pouch into the cooker. Add 1.5 tbsp of salt and enough water to completely cover the chickpeas. Close the lid and cook for 1 whistle on high flame, then reduce the flame to low and cook for 6 more whistles until the chickpeas are perfectly soft.

3. 3.Prepare the Dry Roasted Spice Mix

   Heat a pan and add a little salt. Then add 4 dried red chilies, 15-20 black peppercorns, 3 black cardamoms, 4 cloves, 1.5 tbsp cumin, and 2 tbsp coriander seeds. Dry roast these spices well, stirring continuously with a spatula. Once roasted, add 1/2 tbsp ajwain, 1 tbsp sonth powder, 1 tbsp anardana powder, 1/2 tbsp hing, a little Kashmiri Lal Mirch, 1 tbsp Amchur powder, and 1 tbsp Kasuri Methi. Stir briefly, then transfer all the roasted spices to a mixer grinder and grind into a fine powder.

4. 4.Prepare the Gravy Base

   Heat an iron kadai and add refined oil. Once the oil is hot, add a little cumin seeds. Then add 3-4 medium-sized chopped onions and fry until they turn golden brown. Add 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste and continue to fry until the raw smell disappears and the mixture is well browned. Add 2 medium-sized tomato paste/puree (or chopped tomatoes) and cook until the oil separates from the mixture.

5. 5.Cook the Gravy with Spices

   Add 3 spoonfuls of the prepared spice mix to the gravy. Stir well. To prevent the spices from burning, add small splashes of water as needed and continue to cook on low flame until the spices are well incorporated and the oil separates again. Add a little haldi powder and mix well.

6. 6.Combine Chickpeas and Gravy

   Once the gravy is ready, add the boiled chickpeas (after removing the spice pouch) to the kadai. Mix the chickpeas thoroughly with the gravy, ensuring they are well coated. Let the chole simmer on low flame, stirring occasionally, until they achieve a rich, dark color and the flavors meld together.

7. 7.Prepare the Final Tadka

   In a small tadka pan, heat ghee. Add 1 pinch of hing, 2 dried red chilies, 3 green chilies, and a little julienne ginger. Fry until fragrant. Turn off the flame and add a little Kashmiri Lal Mirch and a little Kasuri Methi. Stir quickly.

8. 8.Serve Amritsari Chole

   Pour the prepared tadka over the simmering Amritsari Chole. Mix gently. Serve hot with Amritsari Kulche or your preferred bread.