White chickpeas (kabuli chana)
काबुली चनाسفید چنے
kābulī chanā
Dried, soaked overnight.
Its job: The dish.
Science-backed recipe
From the MedRise Food Science kitchenPublished
Pindi Chole: Dark, Tangy, Dhaba-Style
Also called Rawalpindi Chana · Chole · पिंडी छोले · پنڈی چنے
Soft white chickpeas cooked dark with tea, coated in a tangy pomegranate-seed and mango spice mix and finished with sizzling ghee, ginger and green chilies.
In short
Pindi chole are dark, dry-spiced chickpeas from Rawalpindi, finished with ghee, ginger and green chilies.
From the MedRise Food Science kitchenPublished - Active
- 1 hr
- Soak
- Overnight
- Total
- About 1 hour, plus soaking
- Serves
- 4
Why this recipe works
- ✓Dark without colorBlack tea gives the classic color.
- ✓Tangy and dryAnardana and amchur, little gravy.
- ✓Instant PotSoaked chickpeas, 20 minutes.
- ✓Great for overcooked choleMashing a few thickens it.
What is Pindi chole?
Pindi chole, named for Rawalpindi in Punjab, are chickpeas cooked dark and dry with a tangy spice mix of anardana (dried pomegranate seeds) and amchur, then finished with sizzling ghee, ginger and green chilies. They’re eaten with bhature, kulcha or puri.
If your chickpeas ever turn out too soft, this is the dish for them: mash a few into the masala and it eats like proper dhaba chole.
Meet the ingredients
The main ingredients, with their English, Hindi and Urdu names.
Anardana
अनारदानाانار دانہ
anārdānā
Dried pomegranate seeds, ground.
Its job: Tangy, fruity sourness.
Amchur
अमचूरامچور
amchūr
Dry mango powder.
Its job: More tang.
Grow it yourself: Tomatoes, Green chilies, Cilantro (dhania), Methi (fenugreek), Ginger
The lab notes
The science behind every step
Restaurant cooks do these things by habit. Here’s what each step is actually doing to the food, so you can cook by understanding instead of guesswork.
Lab note01
Why tea darkens chole
Cook the chickpeas with black tea bags.
Black tea’s tannins and pigments bind to the chickpeas’ surface and stain them deep brown, giving the classic Pindi color without food coloring.
Lab note02
Soak and pressure cook
Soak overnight, then pressure cook 20 minutes.
Soaking hydrates the beans so they cook evenly, and pressure cooking’s higher temperature softens them fully, which Pindi chole needs.
Lab note03
Tang without tomato
Use anardana and amchur instead of lots of tomato.
Dry acids coat the chickpeas without adding liquid, so the dish stays dry and clingy rather than saucy.
How to make it, at a glance
- Pressure cookDrain the chickpeas and add them to the Instant Pot with the water, tea bags, salt and black cardamom. Pressure cook on High for 20 minutes; natural release 15 minutes.
- DrainDiscard the tea bags. Drain the chickpeas, saving ½ cup of the cooking liquid, and mash a few.
- SpiceSelect Sauté. Add the spice mix and tomato with the reserved liquid and cook, stirring, until it clings and looks dry, 5 minutes.
- SizzleHeat the ghee in a small pan until very hot, add the ginger and green chilies for 30 seconds, and pour over the chole.
- ServeServe with sliced onion, lemon and bhature, kulcha or puri.
Exact amounts and timings are in the recipe card below.
Health benefits, honestly rated
A legume main with fiber and plant protein.
Macros per serving
Calories280
Protein11 g
Carbs33 g
Fat13 g
Fiber6 g
Sodium600 mg
3.9 g protein per 100 calories. Estimated from the ingredients with USDA FoodData Central values.
Gym-friendly tip: Serve with ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt as raita (about +16 g protein) or stir 100 g cubed paneer into the finished dal (about +18 g).
Fiber and plant protein
Chickpeas supply both; about 11 g protein per serving (estimated).
Steadier blood sugar
Pulses have a low glycemic index.
Keep in mind
- Gas and bloating are common; soaking and thorough cooking help.
General nutrition information, not medical advice. Numbers marked “estimated” are calculated from the recipe’s ingredients and vary with brands and portions. If you have diabetes, heart or kidney disease, a food allergy, or are pregnant, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian how this dish fits your diet.
Health sources: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Legumes and pulses · Dietary guidance for pulses (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2017)
See the full ingredient health guide: benefits, traditional roots and the science →
Questions, answered
What is the difference between Pindi chole and regular chole?
Pindi chole are drier and tangier, with little or no onion-tomato gravy.
Why add tea to chole?
For the dark color; you can’t taste it.
What is anardana?
Dried pomegranate seeds, used ground for a fruity sourness.
About MedRise Food Science
Desi restaurant favorites, recreated at home and explained with food science: every recipe is tested in a home kitchen and comes with the why behind each step.
Recipe card
Pindi Chole
Pindi chole in the Instant Pot: white chickpeas cooked dark with tea, tossed in a tangy anardana-amchur spice mix and finished with sizzling ghee, ginger and green chilies. With the food science of why tea darkens chole.
Prep15 minSoakOvernightCook45 minTotalAbout 1 hour, plus soakingServes4 servings
Ingredients
Chickpeas
Spice mix
Finish
Instructions (Instant Pot)
- Pressure cookDrain the chickpeas and add them to the Instant Pot with the water, tea bags, salt and black cardamom. Pressure cook on High for 20 minutes; natural release 15 minutes.
- DrainDiscard the tea bags. Drain the chickpeas, saving ½ cup of the cooking liquid, and mash a few.
- SpiceSelect Sauté. Add the spice mix and tomato with the reserved liquid and cook, stirring, until it clings and looks dry, 5 minutes.
- SizzleHeat the ghee in a small pan until very hot, add the ginger and green chilies for 30 seconds, and pour over the chole.
- ServeServe with sliced onion, lemon and bhature, kulcha or puri.
Notes
- Canned chickpeas
- Use 2 drained cans and simmer 10 minutes with a tea bag instead of pressure cooking.
- Storage
- Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Equipment
- Instant Pot (6 qt)
- Small tadka pan