Amritsar Breakfast | Chola Poori

Amritsar Breakfast | Chola Poori is one of the most popular and delicious breakfasts from the city of Amritsar, Punjab.

We are beginning our A to Z Series this month. I have decided to share 26 Street Breakfasts from different parts of India. I will post three breakfasts every month and will start with A. India is a land of diversity and in this series, I am going to share a variety of Breakfasts. Breakfasts that we see on Indian streets. Street food of India is the most tempting part of the culinary delights of the country. So let’s start our Breakfast Journey.

Amritsar is a city in Punjab, a city that I love. It has so much to offer, The Holy Golden Temple and the Kadah Prasad is enough to pull you to this city. Of course, Amritsar is a food hub and today we shall talk of its famous breakfast Chola Poori.

Chola is chickpeas and Poori is a deep-fried bread. The combo of these two makes a scrumptious breakfast and is very popular on the streets of Amritsar. The street style cholas are easy to make and there is no onion or garlic. They are served with Poori or Kulcha. Aloo ki Launji, ( a sweet and spicy potato curry ) pickle, onion slices and green chillies are the perfect accompaniments.

Ingredients for Chola

Chickpeas / Kabuli Chana: Always use good quality chickpeas. Wash them well and soak them in plenty of water for a good 8 hours.

Tea or Tea Bags: You can use regular tea bags or tea leaves tied in a muslin cloth.

Whole Spices: Roast them on slow flame and grind them to a fine powder to make a special Chola Masala.

Powdered Spices: Use basic spices along with Anardana powder, Do not skip this spice as it will give a wonderful colour and flavour to the Chola.

Baking Soda: It will help to cook the channa.

Potato: It is optional.

How to make Amritsar Breakfast | Chola Poori?

To make Amritsari Chola first wash the chickpeas very well and soak for a good 8-10 hours or overnight.

Wash them again, this time rub them with your palms. This will help to remove some of the thin peel that the chickpea has. This helps to give a good texture to them after cooking.

Pressure cook the chickpeas with 2 tea bags, the thumb rule is to add 1 teabag per 100 gm’s. Alternatively, tie a tsp of tea leaves in a muslin cloth. Add water, just about 1” over the chana. Now add salt, all the whole spices under Boiling the Chole and baking soda. Cook for 5-6 whistles on medium flame.

Next, dry roast the whole spices and grind them to a fine powder.

Open the cooker after the pressure is released. Check, if the chickpeas are done. Discard the whole spices and drain the water. Reserve this water, we shall use it.

Take a Kadai or a wok. Do not switch on the flame. Add the cooked chickpeas, cubed boiled potato and sprinkle all the spices over the cooked chole. Mix and let rest for about 15 minutes.

Lastly, heat ghee in another pan, add asafoetida, green chillies and ginger, saute for a minute. Pour the hot ghee over the marinated channa. Mix well. Switch on the flame and toss the Chole so that everything mixes very well. Gradually add the reserved water, adjusting to get the correct consistency of the gravy.

Simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes.

The Chola is ready, serve with a Poori. The accompaniments are individual choices and vary from stall to stall. I am sharing the breakfast that I enjoyed on one of my trips, where they serve Aaloo ki Launji, a pickle and onion slices.

How long should I soak the chickpeas?

Add the chickpeas to a large bowl and cover them with plenty of water. As the chickpeas rehydrate, they triple in size — adding plenty of water is key. Soak them for 8 hours or overnight.

What if I forget to soak the chickpeas?

Add the chickpeas to a hotpot and add boiling water and a pinch of Baking Soda. Again the key is plenty of water as they will swell and triple in size. Close the lid tightly for an hour.

How many cups of Cooked Chickpeas will 1 cup of Dried Chickpeas Make?

Dried chickpeas triple in size when cooked (if not a little bit more). So 1 cup of dried chickpeas will make about 3 cups of cooked chickpeas.

Storage Suggestions

I always recommend fresh food, but one can surely freeze the cholas.
You can boil the chickpeas in bulk and store them in individual portions in the freezer. Thaw them, and temper them when using.
The cooked chickpeas can be stored in the freezer for three to four months. Though, with the Indian climate, I do not like to store longer than that.

Notes

• Soaking the channa overnight helps them to become tender.Make sure you soak them in plenty of water for a good 8 hours.
• You can use canned chickpeas.
• The spice mix can be made in advance and stored.
• If you do not have Pomegranate seeds, use dry mango powder.
• Sometimes, I use ready Chola Masala.

What is the famous food of Amritsar?

• Langar
• Amritsari Chole Kulche
• Sarso da Saag & Makki di Roti
• Gajjar ka Halwa
• Amritsari Wadi ki Biryani
• Meethi Mathri
• Bheega Kulcha
• Amritsari Aaloo ka Paratha

Some Other Popular Breakfast in Amritsar

• Paneer Bhurji – Bread
• Nutri – Kulcha
• Chole Kulche
• Parathe’

Print Pin

5 from 4 votes

Amritsar Breakfast | Chola Poori | No Onion No Garlic Chole

Amritsar Breakfast | Chola Poori is one of the most popular and delicious breakfasts from the city of Amritsar.

Course Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Indian Cuisine, Punjabi Cuisine

Keyword Street Food

Prep Time 8 hours hours

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Vaishali Sabnani

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker
• Kadai / Wok / Pan

Ingredients

• 1 cup Kabuli Chana / Chick Pea
• 2 tsp Tea or 2 tea bags
• 1 Black Cardamom
• Small Piece of Cinnamon Stick
• 2-3 Cloves
• 1 Bay Leaf
• Salt to taste
• 3/4 tsp Baking Soda

Whole Spices

• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 2-3 Cloves
• 1 Black Cardamom
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 2 Dried Red Chillies
• 3-4 Black Peppercorns
• 2 Green Cardamom
• 1 Mace
• Nutmeg grate very little
• 1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
• 1/2 tbsp Kasoori Methi

Powdered Spices

• 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 tsp Dry Mango Powder / Amchoor
• 1 tsp Anardana Powder

Tempering

• 1/8 cup Desi Ghee
• Pinch Asafoetida
• 1 ” Ginger
• 2-3 Green Chillies

Instructions

• Wash and soak the chickpeas overnight or about 8 hours .
• Wash again , this time rub them well so that some of the skin comes out.
• Now add the chola to a pressure cooker along with water . The water ahould be just about a inch more than the chola.
• Add tea bags or tea leaves tied in a muslin cloth . Also add a black cardamom , a bay leaf , a small cinnamon stick , a few cloves , salt to taste and a pinch of baking soda.
• Pressure cook the chola on medium flame for 5-6 whistles, or till done.
• Discard the whole spices and drain the water , but reserve it .
• Now place the boiled chola and the potato cubes ( if using ) in a wok or a kadai .
• Roast the whole spices on a slow flame and grind to a fine powder .
• Sprinkle the prepared chola masala over the chola and mix well.Let them marinate for about 15 minutes.
• Next heat ghee over medium flame , add ginger , green chilly and asafoetida . Pour this hot ghee over the chole. Switch on the flame and mix well .
• Gradually add the reserved water to adjust the gravy consistency . Simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes .

Notes

• Soaking the channa overnight helps them to become tender, make sure you soak them in plenty of water.
• You can use canned chickpeas.
• The spice mix can be made in advance and stored.
• If you do not have Pomegranate seeds, Use dry mango powder.
• Sometimes, I use ready Chola Masala.