RAG Demo

Tag: Langar

  • Pindi Chole

    Pindi chole come from Rawalpindi, the city Punjabis call Pindi, and arrived in Delhi and Amritsar with families who migrated after Partition. Unlike most North Indian chickpea curries, the traditional version uses no onion-tomato gravy at all; the colour and tang come from tea, amla, dried pomegranate seeds and a heavily roasted spice mix.

    The chickpeas are almost dry, coated in a dark, intense masala that is sour, earthy and spicy, with whole spices and a pour of hot ghee over green chillies and ginger at the end. Each chickpea is soft through but holds its shape, and the dish has a smoky, slightly bitter edge from deeply roasted spices.

    Pindi chole are eaten with kulchas or bhature, or with plain rice. They are also popular at langars and Sunday family lunches, garnished with onion rings and lemon. Because there is no onion or tomato gravy, the chole keep well for a day or two and taste even better reheated. The roasted pindi masala is the heart of the dish, so it is worth grinding a fresh batch rather than relying on a packet.

    At a glance

    RegionPunjab
    CuisinePunjabi
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time50 minutes
    Total time65 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientschickpeas / anardana / amla / ghee

    Ingredients

    For boiling

    • 1 1/2 cups kabuli chana, soaked overnight
    • 2 tea bags
    • 3 dried amla pieces
    • 2 black cardamom, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp baking soda (optional)

    For the pindi masala

    • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 tbsp anardana (dried pomegranate seeds)
    • 4 dried red chillies
    • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
    • 4 cloves
    • Seeds of 2 black cardamom
    • 1 tsp amchur
    • 1/2 tsp black salt

    For the tadka

    • 4 tbsp ghee
    • 2 inch ginger, julienned
    • 4 green chillies, slit
    • 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the soaked chana with 3 1/2 cups water, tea bags, amla, whole spices, salt and baking soda: 1 whistle on high, then 15 minutes on low. The chana should be very soft and dark. Discard tea bags, amla and whole spices.
    2. Dry-roast coriander, cumin, anardana, red chillies, peppercorns, cloves and cardamom seeds in a pan on low for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the anardana is dark and everything is very fragrant. Cool and grind fine with amchur and black salt.
    3. Drain the chana, reserving the cooking liquid. Put the chana in a wide heavy pan and sprinkle 3 tbsp of the pindi masala over it.
    4. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid and cook on medium for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring gently, until the liquid is absorbed and the masala coats each chickpea. Add more liquid only if it sticks.
    5. Lightly mash a few chickpeas to bind the masala. Taste and adjust salt and tang.
    6. For the tadka, heat ghee in a small pan until hot. Add ginger and green chillies and fry 1 minute until the ginger starts to crisp. Switch off, add chilli powder.
    7. Pour the sizzling tadka over the chole, cover for 2 minutes, then toss and serve.

    Tips

    • The deeply roasted anardana gives the characteristic dark colour; roast slowly so it does not burn.
    • Store extra pindi masala in an airtight jar for a month.
    • Some cooks place a hot coal in the chole with ghee for smoke, as with dal makhani.

    Serve with

    Kulcha or bhature, with onion rings, pickled chillies and lemon.

  • Aloo Gobi

    Aloo gobi is the quiet backbone of the Punjabi lunch box. Cauliflower is abundant through North Indian winters, and pairing it with potatoes makes a filling, inexpensive dry sabzi that every family cooks a little differently. Some make it with onions and tomatoes, others keep it simple with just ginger and spices.

    A good aloo gobi has florets that are cooked through but not mushy, potatoes that are soft inside, and golden, slightly crisp edges where the vegetables touched the pan. Turmeric gives it a sunny colour, cumin and ginger give warmth, and a final sprinkle of amchur, garam masala and fresh coriander brightens it.

    It goes into tiffins, gets rolled into parathas and fills plates at dinner with dal and phulkas. It is also a standard dish at gurdwara langars and family gatherings. Since it needs no gravy and no blending, it is one of the quickest Punjabi vegetables to cook, ready in about forty minutes from chopping board to table. The leftovers make an excellent stuffing for parathas the next morning.

    At a glance

    RegionPunjab
    CuisinePunjabi
    DietVegan
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientscauliflower / potato / ginger / cumin

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium cauliflower (about 500 g), cut into medium florets
    • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5 cm cubes
    • 3 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 medium onion, sliced (optional)
    • 1 1/2 inch ginger, julienned
    • 2 green chillies, slit
    • 1 tomato, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1/2 tsp amchur
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • Salt to taste
    • Chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Soak the florets in warm salted water for 10 minutes to remove any insects, then drain and pat dry.
    2. Heat oil in a wide, heavy kadai on medium. Add cumin seeds; when they crackle, add onion if using and cook 3 minutes until soft.
    3. Add ginger and green chillies and saute 30 seconds. Add the potatoes and cook 5 minutes, stirring, until they start to turn golden at the edges.
    4. Add the cauliflower, turmeric, coriander powder, chilli powder and salt. Toss well so every piece is coated.
    5. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring gently every 3 to 4 minutes, until the potatoes and florets are nearly tender. Do not add water; the vegetables cook in their own steam.
    6. Add the tomato, then cook uncovered on medium for 5 minutes, letting the vegetables brown a little at the edges.
    7. Sprinkle amchur and garam masala, toss gently and garnish with coriander.

    Tips

    • Cut potatoes smaller than the florets so they cook in the same time.
    • Stir gently with a flat spatula; aggressive stirring breaks the cauliflower.
    • For a restaurant touch, shallow-fry florets and potatoes separately until golden before tossing with the masala.

    Serve with

    Phulkas or parathas with dal and curd.