Chole Paneer is an age-old Punjabi main course item. Not only this, but it is widely popular in the northern regions of India. However, the recipe itself hails from this particular part of India.


Let me tell you this – Chole Paneer is the significant half of bhature. 😀 Its survival amid fast-food culture is fantastic. Who would cook something that requires lots of ingredients, time & energy?

On the contrary, there are food items that you can make in record time.

Although this may be true, the legacy of chole paneer continues. Another milestone of this Punjabi-style chickpea recipe is its nationwide hit with this in mind. So let’s define what exactly it is.

What is Chole Paneer?

Chole means chickpeas & paneer is the Indian cottage cheese in English. So when you add boiled chickpeas to spice mix paneer curry, you get chole paneer. Further, the spice mix curry contains a thick base of onions & tomato puree. Now that’s how traditional Punjabi recipes are made.

If you want the authentic taste of this dish, then bhature is the ideal option. Bhature is a puri. Yeah, but not an ordinary one. It’s a king-size puri. However, you can enjoy chole paneer with rice, paratha, kulcha, and chapattis.

With this in mind, let’s cook this legendary Punjabi dish. First, we will begin with the list of ingredients.

Pre-Preparations for Chole Paneer

  • Chop or grind onions as per requirement.
  • Grind tomatoes to a thick puree.
  • Soak chickpeas overnight & boil after that until soft.
  • Grind ginger & garlic to make a paste.
  • Cut paneer into sizeable pieces.

Notes:

  • Consistency of the gravy is upon you. You can have the gravy either thick or medium. Adjust the water accordingly.
  • If you want the colour of the chickpeas to be dark, add dried amla to it. However, they will also add to the sour taste. Use a tea bag if you do not have dried amla.
  • Do not use chickpea stock if you are using a tea bag.
  • If you do not want the dish to be spicy, adjust the spices.
  • Adding to the tang and zest dry mango powder will also be good.
  • Replace the paneer with tofu, or simply skip it if you want to have this dish as a vegan option.