Pindi Chole with Ajwain Poori

Pindi Chole is a popular dish from Rawalpindi in Punjab - Pakistan, hence the name Pindi chole. Unlike gravy chana curries this dish is dry and do not require any onions and tomatoes. Chana are soaked overnight and cooked with whole spices and tea bags. Dry mango powder give the sourness to the dish. We will be using lots of dry masalas here and this dish is absolutely simple yet delicious to taste. Pindi Chole are typically served with Poori or Bhatura.

This recipe goes to Week 4 day 1 of Blogging Marathon 111. 

Ingredients for Chole:


Chana soaked and boiled 2 cups
Ajwain / carom seeds
Cumin seeds
Ginger chopped or sliced 2 tbsp
Green chili slit 6
Amchur powder / Dry Mango powder 1 tbsp
Kasuri methi 1tbsp
Chili powder 1 tbsp
Black salt 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tbsp
Cumin powder 1 tbsp
Carom seeds / Ajwain 3/4 tbsp
Oil  1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Whole Masala :  2 cardamom, 2 bay leaves, 2 inch cinnamon stick, cloves 6, Tea bag 1



Ingredients for Poori:


Wheat flour  3 cups
Ajwain / carom seeds 1 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil


Preparing Pindi Chole:


Wash and soak chana over night.
In a  presser cooker add chana and whole garam masala along with tea bags tied in cheese cloth.
Add 3 cups 4 cups water and presser cook for 4-5 whistles.
Drain water from chana and set aside, save water for later use.
Discard the whole masala and tea bags tied in cheese cloth. 
Now add all the dry masalas to chana, turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander and cumin powder, dry mango powder. DO NOT MIX the masalas. 

Heat oil in a pan and add carom seeds, saute for few seconds and add slit green chili and crushed ginger.
Cook till ginger is nice and brown, switch off flame and pour the mixture on top of Chana which is topped with dry masala powders. 
Now place the chana pan on stove and switch on flame.
Add the water which we saved from cooked chana.
Add salt and black salt  to taste and mix, cover to cook further for 5-6 minutes.
Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with chopped ginger.
Serve.


Preparing Poori:


Add salt, carom seeds and 2 spoons oil to wheat flour.
Add little water at a time to make a semi soft dough.
Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
Knead the dough for 5 minutes and make equal lemon size balls.
Using dry wheat flour and rolling pin, roll each ball to make a round poori.
Heat oil for deep frying, fry the poori's in hot oil till done.
Transfer to paper towel to remove excess oil.
Serve hot with curry.

Check to see what my fellow bloggers are cooking for Blogging Marathon 111.