Craving the irresistible flavours of street food but would rather skip the queues and enjoy it from the comfort of your home? You can bring those bold, spicy and comforting flavours straight to your kitchen with the right recipe. Cooking it yourself also puts you in control of the ingredients, allowing you to give a beloved street-food favourite a fresher, more wholesome twist – without losing the indulgence.
Aathira Sethumadhavan, a certified nutritionist and chef known for creating flavour-packed, calorie-conscious recipes, has shared a recipe for the Lahori- Punjabi street-food classic, Chikkar Chole. Check out the full recipe below! In an Instagram video shared on August 28, she describes the dish as, “Meet Chikkar Chole – the Lahori-Punjabi street-food classic whose name literally translates to thick, muddy, mashy chickpeas, after that gravy – which is by far the best gravy I’ve ever had. 1 pinch cooking soda, optional
Rinse the dried chickpeas thoroughly and soak them in enough water for at least eight hours or overnight. Drain and rinse them again before cooking. Transfer the soaked chickpeas to a pressure cooker along with the halved potato, bay leaf, a pinch of cooking soda, salt and enough water to cover the chickpeas. Pressure cook for about four to five whistles on high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for another five minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally. Add the remaining cooked chickpeas along with some of their cooking liquid. Season with salt and sugar, then stir well. Allow the chole to simmer for several minutes, gently mashing some of the chickpeas against the sides of the pan. Continue cooking until the gravy becomes thick, creamy and slightly mushy – the characteristic consistency of chikkar chole.
