To everyone who has ever visited the streets of Punjab, Amritsari chole kulche must be somewhere in their hearts. The rich gravy of chole is served with a buttery-soft tandoori kulcha, so why don’t you recreate the Punjabi staple at home? Try this authentic step-wise recipe.
Amritsar is the heart of Punjab. Not only known for its spiritual or heritage significance, but also for its food. Talking about its rather popular street food scene, as the name suggests, Amritsari kulche is a much sought-after choice. The slightly spicy chickpea gravy with a subtle hint of tanginess, and the chole are paired with a maida-based kulcha topped with a generous amount of ghee.
But have you never been able to have the street-style taste anywhere else in the country? Well, this is a sign to recreate the Punjabi recipe at your home. With some secret tips and frequently asked questions to help you through the process, this step-by-step guide is perfect for beginners as well as experienced chefs. So, what are you waiting for? Put on your aprons and chef’s hat, and get cooking street-style Amritsari chole kulche right in your kitchen.
Directions For Chole: Start by soaking the chickpeas overnight. Drain the water and pressure cook the soaked chickpeas with a tea bag and a pinch of salt. Let the chickpeas cook for about 5-6 whistles.
In the meantime, heat some ghee and the whole spices like cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom, and bay leaves. Sauté till aromatic and then add in cumin seeds.
Chop the onions and add to the spices. Once golden brown, stir in ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Mix in tomato puree and cook till the oil starts to separate.
Add all the spices except garam masala to the mix. Add the boiled chickpeas to the broth and season with salt, chana masala, amchur powder, and crushed kasuri methi.
Slightly mash some chickpeas to thicken the gravy and let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes.
Add garam masala and garnish with chopped coriander leaves before serving.
Directions For Amritsari Kulcha: Mix all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Mix in yoghurt and two tablespoons of oil.
Add some lukewarm water and start kneading the dough. You can add more water until you get a soft and smooth dough. Cover and let it rest for about an hour.
Divide the dough into balls, flatten each portion, and sprinkle some coriander leaves and sesame seeds. Roll each portion into kulchas.
Heat a tawa and cook the rolled kulchas. Once you see bubbles forming, flip them over and cook till golden brown on both sides.
Spread some ghee once cooked and either serve immediately or wrap in a cloth to keep the kulchas warm.
Mix in a squeeze of lemon juice in the garnished chole with Amritsari kulche. Serve them with a side of sliced onions topped with a squeeze of lemon and some chaat masala.
1. Don’t skip soaking the chole. If soaked overnight, chickpeas will take less time to soften, giving you a consistent gravy.
2. While cooking the chickpeas, don’t forget to add a teabag. The tea leaves give the chole a darker shade, similar to what you love having at your favourite street food carts. If you don’t have a tea bag, you can tie a teaspoon of tea leaves in a muslin cloth and then pressure cook.
3. For a thicker gravy, you can mash some chickpeas and attain the street-style consistency without having to add ingredients like cornstarch.
4. Let the dough for kulchas rest. This will help you to get fluffier and softer Amritsari kulche.
5. To give the kulchas an authentic street-like flavour, do brush with ghee or butter right before serving.
To make the kulchas healthier, you can replace maida with whole wheat flour or even millet flour. However, the texture and taste will differ. For a balanced flavour, you can use half maida and half the flour of your choice.
The kulchas can turn hard because the dough does not have enough time to rest, or you could’ve rolled the kulchas really thin. Also, if the heat is too much and the kulche is overcooked, it can also make them tough.
You can still cook the chickpeas even if you don’t have a pressure cooker. It will take a longer time to cook, approximately one and a half hours, so keep checking if the chickpeas are tender.
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