Instant Pot Chhole (Punjabi-Style Chole)
Tender kabuli chana in a dark onion-tomato masala with chole masala, warm spices, and a finishing simmer for a clingy, restaurant-style gravy.
Ingredients
Chana (dried white chickpeas)
- 1 cup dried kabuli chana soaked 8 to 10 hours
- 1 small black tea bag for color; remove before serving; optional
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups water for pressure cooking
- 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
Masala base
- 2 tbsp oil or ghee use oil for vegan
- 1 tsp cumin seeds jeera; optional
- 1 bay leaf optional
- 1 to 2 green cardamom optional, lightly crushed
- 1 1/2 cups onions finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste or 1/2 inch ginger and 3 to 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 cup tomato puree or 2 to 3 medium tomatoes blended smooth
- 1 to 2 green chilies optional; reduce for kids; slit
Spice powders
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 1 1/2 to 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder or paprika for mild color
- 1 tsp coriander powder dhania
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder jeera
- 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 tsp chole masala
- 1/2 to 1 tsp garam masala divided
- 1 tsp amchoor or 1/2 to 1 tsp anardana, or lemon to taste, at the end
Finishing
- 1 1/2 to 2 tsp kasuri methi crushed between palms
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander chopped, optional
- 1/2 to 1 tsp ghee on top skip for vegan; optional
Instructions
Soak the chana (recommended)
- Rinse dried chickpeas well. Soak in plenty of water for 8 to 10 hours. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
Sauté the aromatics
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (Normal or Medium). Add oil or ghee. If using cumin seeds, sizzle 10 to 12 seconds. Add bay leaf and cardamom, if using.
- Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook 7 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until deep pink-golden. Add ginger-garlic paste; cook 1 minute until the raw edge fades.
Build the tomato layer
- Add tomato puree. Cook 5 to 8 minutes until the masala thickens and oil flecks the edges. Add a splash of water if it sticks. Scrape the bottom often on stainless steel.
Add spice powders and chole masala
- Add turmeric, red chili, coriander, cumin, and most of the chole masala (reserve a pinch). Add half the garam masala now if you like. Cook 20 to 30 seconds, then add 2 to 3 tbsp water, stir, and let it absorb.
Pressure cook
- Add soaked drained chickpeas, water, optional tea bag (tucked where you can find it), and salt. Scrape the bottom. Seal and pressure cook on High 32 to 38 minutes (start at 35; older beans need more).
- Natural release 12 to 18 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
Simmer, mash a little, finish
- If the gravy is thin, use Sauté. Lightly mash about 1/4 cup chana against the pot side. Simmer 5 to 8 minutes until creamy.
- Add kasuri methi, remaining chole masala to taste, remaining garam masala, and amchoor, anardana, or lemon until balanced. Remove tea bag if used.
- Simmer 2 to 3 minutes until glossy on top. Garnish with coriander and optional ghee and a pinch of chole masala if needed.
Notes
No-soak option: pressure cook unsoaked chana about 50 to 55 minutes on High with a longer natural release; add extra water as needed. Texture will be slightly more toothsome than soaked.
Canned shortcut: use two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed; add after masala is cooked; simmer on Sauté 10 to 15 minutes, mash a little, then finish.
Jain: skip onion and garlic; use more tomato, ginger, and hing if you use it; longer masala cook for depth.
Old beans: if chana stays firm, pressure cook again 8 to 10 minutes with about 1/2 cup hot water.
Storage: refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months; reheat with a splash of water and adjust salt.
Canned shortcut: use two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed; add after masala is cooked; simmer on Sauté 10 to 15 minutes, mash a little, then finish.
Jain: skip onion and garlic; use more tomato, ginger, and hing if you use it; longer masala cook for depth.
Old beans: if chana stays firm, pressure cook again 8 to 10 minutes with about 1/2 cup hot water.
Storage: refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months; reheat with a splash of water and adjust salt.
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