Chole Bill & Jim [Chick Peas]
Submitted by sl
Chole (Indian chickpea curry) with potatoes, mustard seeds, cardamom, and garam masala. A vegan, one-skillet dish with warm spices and hearty texture from canned chickpeas.
YIELD
1 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
20 minREADY
35 minChole is the soul of North Indian home cooking, and this version brings chickpeas and potatoes together in a warmly spiced skillet dinner that starts with popping mustard seeds in hot oil. That crackling sound is your cue that the aromatics are waking up.
Cardamom pods, cloves, coriander, and cumin build the spice base before the onions even go in. Cooking the onions to golden before adding the rest of the spices blooms everything together and creates a fragrant paste that coats every chickpea. The garam masala goes in last, stirred in with the potatoes so it keeps its punch instead of cooking out.
Using canned chickpeas with their liquid keeps this quick enough for a weeknight, and the starchy liquid helps the sauce cling.
Kitchen Tips
- Wait for the mustard seeds to pop before adding the other spices. If the oil isn’t hot enough, they’ll just sit there and taste raw.
- Cook the onions until properly golden, not just soft. That browning adds sweetness and depth to the whole dish.
- Add the garam masala at the end, not with the other spices. It’s a finishing spice blend meant to perfume the dish, not cook down.
- If the potatoes need more time, add a splash of water and cook uncovered until tender. Don’t cover or they’ll steam and get mushy.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
If you are using the potatoes, start boiling them in a saucepan. Let them boil for at least 15 minutes. After they are done, turn off the heat and let them stand in the water.
While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a wide skillet until it is very hot. Add the mustard seeds and wait until they start popping. Add bayleaves, cardamom and cloves.
Mix around for a while and then add onions. Wait until onion start to turn golden before adding the rest of the spices, except for the Garam Masala.
Add chick-peas with all the liquid. Cut up the potatoes into bite sized pieces and add to the skillet. Add Garam Masala.
Continue stirring the chick-peas under medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes without covering.
Check tenderness of potatoes. If they are still too hard, add another ¼ cup of water and cook for another couple of minutes.
Salt to taste and serve.
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