What is Chole masala?

Chole masala is a blend of select spices used in the preparation of chick peas or kabuli chana. The spices included in chole masala may vary from family to family, brand to brand, but it typically contains bay leaf, mustard seeds, cumin, coriander seeds, cloves, red chillies, peppercorn, and anaardana (pomegranate seeds).

Commercial mixtures predominantly contain dried red chilli, dried garlic, ginger powder, sesame, mustard seeds, turmeric, coriander, bay leaves, star anise and fennel. They generally include more of the less expensive spices.

Also known as

Chana masala

How to select Chole masala

• It can be made at home or purchased readymade from grocery stores. It is commonly available.

• Before buying, check the seal of the package and the expiry date. Choose a pack size as per your need.

• To make chole masala at home, dry roast all the spices on a low flame until fragrant, then grind in a spice/coffee grinder.

Culinary uses of chole masala in Indian cooking

Popular chole recipes using chole masala

1. First and foremost chole masala is used to make the delicious Chole Bhature. Apart from the masala itself, this recipe requires different aromatics and flavors like onions, ginger, garlic and dried mango powder. This recipe can be served alongside piping hot bhature, which is a big, fluffy puri or even parathas.

2. Generally chole has a mild gravy but you can make a dry one as well called Pindi Chole. Pindi Chole is a classic dish from the Punjabirepertoire, which is flavoured with a large assortment of spice powders and other ingredients like ginger, garlic, tomatoes and onions, which lend an irresistible flavour and aroma to it.

While it is common in most parts of the country to flavour chole with garam masala and chole masala, what makes the Punjabi pindi chana really different from the rest is the combination of kabuli chana with chana dal and the procedure of cooking both in water along with whole spices and tea leaves tied in a cloth bag.

3. chole recipe | Punjabi chole | roadside chole | Punjabi chana masala | with 18 amazing images.

chole is a very popular roadside chole chaat which is also called Punjabi chana masala. Who can resist the masaledar taste and tempting aroma of Chole? A popular chaat famous all across the country, and now all over the globe, chole features boiled white chickpeas flavoured with a wide range of spice powders, notably a special Chole Masala, along with onions, ginger and garlic.

chole recipe | Punjabi chole | roadside chole | Punjabi chana masala |

4. Combining the favorite street food of India, samosa, with the Punjabi classic gives us the delectable Chole Samosa Chaat. To serve this, lightly break the samosas in a bowl, pour the chole over it and top with basic chaat ingredients – curd, chilli powder and various chutneys.

• As the name suggests, chole masala is used to prepare chick peas, especially Punjabi chole preparations, which are served with roti, naan, chapati, basmati rice or any other way you desire.