Amritsari Chhola Masala

The method

1. 1

   Soak the chhole

   Soak chickpeas overnight.

2. 2

   Start with the good stuff

   Heat desi ghee in a pressure cooker and add cumin, black cardamom and bay leaf. Let the whole spices release their aroma.

3. 3

   To add depth

   Add 2 tsp of Imam Dasta Amritsari Chhola Masala, followed by the soaked chickpeas, in the same pressure cooker. Mix well and pressure cook until tender — but make sure they don't turn mushy.

4. 4

   Build the flavour

   Heat desi ghee in an iron kadai, add ajwain and chopped onions and sauté until golden brown, then add green chillies and ginger-garlic paste.

5. 5

   The spice combination

   Now add Imam Dasta Red Chilli Powder, Haldi, coriander powder, bhuna jeera powder, Kitchen King (optional) and Amritsari Chhola Masala, followed by salt and tomato purée.

6. 6

   Add the chhole

   Once the oil separates, add the pressure-cooked chhole to the kadai and mix and mash them properly with the masala. Don't forget to slow cook — it deepens the colour and brings the flavours together.

7. 7

   Finish the Punjabi way

   Cook until the gravy is thick and the masala clings beautifully to the chhole. In a separate tadka pan, heat ghee with Imam Dasta Hing, kasuri methi, ginger juliennes and slit green chillies, and pour it over the chhole. Finish with fresh coriander and a little more desi ghee if you like it rich.