Pindi Chole Recipe| Jain Recipe

Contents:

• Why am I talking about Choley today?
• What are chickpeas?
• Why should I eat garbanzo or garbanzo bean?
• Can you eat chickpeas every day?
• But how do I include chickpeas specifically in my diet differently?
• The ingredients to make Pindi chole
• How to make Rawalpindi Cholay
• Recipe card for Pindi Cholay
• Variations in making Chickpeas
• Pin for Later

Why am I talking about Choley today?

It is Monday, and you dear reader know I participate in Foodie Monday Blog Hop. We are a group of bloggers who every Monday post on a theme that has maximum votes. This period of lockdowns we are focussing on pantry ingredients as along with you we too are facing problems. Thanks to Mayuri’s suggestions (of Mayuri Jikoni) we have voted for chickpea-based food items.

Do you know Jikoni in Swahili means the kitchen? My bookmarked recipes from Mayuri’s blog, include

• Panna cotta
• Semolina bread
• Lilva kachori
• Chickpea Salad

What are chickpeas?

Chickpeas are also known as Garbanzo or Garbanzo bean, Egyptian pea, Gram, Bengal Gram, Chana. Kaldi or Chane in Kannada and Marathi/Konkani are legumes.

In India, we classify them as Kala chana and Kabuli chana. The Kala Chana is brown and smaller and tastier too. The white chickpeas are called Kabuli chana.

Since garbanzo beans are high in protein, they are a source of protein in Vegetarian and Vegan diet.

Chickpeas are delicious and if included in your diet few of the health benefits you get are:

1. Garbanzo bean is a plant-based protein, excellent for vegans and vegetarians.
2. Garbanzo beans are high in fibre, protein and minerals and hence are very healthy food.  
3. Garbanzo bean also helps in controlling blood sugar since they have a low glycemic index.
4. Since they are full of fibre and have a low glycemic index, they keep you feeling full for a longer period.
5. So since you are feeling full for a longer period, your weight issues will be taken care off.
6. They are inexpensive protein that helps keep gut healthier, reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases.

You can check more about the health benefits here at Healthline.

Can you eat chickpeas every day?

You can but won’t you get bored?

Try including one serving of beans of some kind in your meal like peas, lentils, moong, matki. The flavours differ and you can also cook them in different ways. Thus making food tasty and different and healthy choice. This way you can reduce your bad cholesterol and weight too.

But how do I include chickpeas specifically in my diet differently?

Chickpeas are an important ingredient in Indian cuisine, Middle Eastern Cuisine and Mediterranean cuisine.

In general, the chickpeas are available all year round in dry form. To cook chickpeas are soaked and then boiled. You can cook them without soaking however you will have to cook them longer. The chickpeas can be cooked on stove but will take a longer time to cook. The more efficient way will be to pressure cook them.

Add chickpeas to salads, make Indian chaat, sundals. How about some devilled tomatoes or sliders for burgers, falafel? Make stews, chana masala, Chana biriyani, Chana Madra. Roast them for a snack. 

Hummus, make regular plain hummus or chocolate hummus!!!

Then we use chickpeas flours by the tons who will say no to besan ladoo or bhajiya? Dhokla, Khandvi, tomato omelette, zunka! 

Mysore Pak!! How can I forget it?

Then I also use chickpea flour or besan to thicken my gravies or sprinkle on something like my bhindi bhaji to make it less sticky. There are so many uses that unconsciously I tend to reach out for besan ka atta.

The latest way of using chickpeas is aquafaba, water from chickpeas is an egg replacer, try it.

The ingredients to make Pindi chole

• Chana: Regular Kabuli chana or chickpeas soaked overnight or for 2 hours in hot water.
• Pomegranate seeds: Also called anardana, are a bit on the sour side but tasty.
• Jeera seeds: Cumin seeds along with pomegranate seeds give a delicious flavour.
• Green Chillies: Slit and use as per your taste.
• Ginger: Juliennes of ginger that enhance the flavours of the dish.
• Whole Spices: Big cardamom called badi elichi, dalchini/cinnamon, cloves.
• Spice powders: Coriander powder or dhania powder, pepper powder, garam masala, mango powder.
• Oil: Use an oil that has no flavour. I have used rice bran oil, you can use sunflower or vegetable oil.
• Ghee: Clarified butter, as far as possible use homemade ghee.
• Salt: To taste
• Water: This recipe, like most Indian recipes, uses water.
• Onions and lemon: To garnish

How to make Rawalpindi Cholay

• Rinse and soak the Kabuli chana overnight. If you have not soaked overnight then soak them 2 hours before in hot water. The water should be at least 3 inches over the level of the grams. You will need a big bowl as the chickpeas swell.
• At the end of the soaking time, I rinse them yet again and transfer to a bowl. Add water, a little salt, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Stir and pressure cook for 4 whistles. Let the pressure come down naturally.
• Meanwhile, in a thick kadhai/wok add the pomegranate seeds and jeera till you get an aroma. Transfer to a pan and cool. Once cool grind to a fine powder. I suggest you make a big batch of this delicious masala. It tastes great on fruits too.
• Once the cooker opens, drain the water from the chickpeas and reserve the water.
• To the chana add the pomegranate and jeera powder, and the rest of the spice powders. Add a little salt, say ½ a teaspoon, ginger and green chillies and mix well. Check seasonings.
• In thick kadhai/wok heat the mixture of ghee and oil till it starts smoking. Add over the chickpeas evenly pour the reserved liquid and mix again.
• Place the kadhai/wok back on medium flame add the chickpeas and cook well till the liquid dries up. Stir till the oil oozes out( this did not happen in my case as I used little oil and ghee). Stir occasionally after about 10 minutes the chickpeas will be ready. 
• Serve hot garnished with onions slices and lemon.

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