Chole Paneer

We all know Chole as an North-Indian side dish made with Chick peas or Kabuli Chana. If you add Paneer or cottage cheese in that, it becomes a new dish, Chole Paneer. Chickpeas are already a great source of protein, when we add paneer, it becomes more nutritious and also delicious to say the least.

 For Chole Paneer, you don't need any chole masala that we use in making Chole, but its your choice, you can add it too. Cooked in simple onion-tomato gravy and basic spices, it goes really well with naan or paratha or even puri. I made this time with puri.

No more delay, lets move on to the recipe..........

You Need :
Chole : 1 cup
Paneer : 200-250 gms.
Ginger, whole : 1/2" piece, whole
Baking soda : a pinch
Salt : 1 tsp.
Dry red chilli : 1 to 2, torn in half
Cumin Seed : 1 tsp. 
Onion : 2, medium, chopped
Ginger-garlic paste : 1 tblsp.
Tomatoes : 3, medium, pureed
Green chilli : 2-3 or as per taste, slitted
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp.
Cumin powder : 2 tsp.
Coriander Powder : 2 tsp.
Red Chilli powder : 1 tsp.
Garam Masala Powder : 1 tsp.
Chat masala /Amchur(dry mango) powder : 2 tsp. 
Salt to taste
Oil : 3 tblsp.

Method ::

• Soak Chickpeas for at least 6-7 hours or overnight. Boil chickpeas in pressure cooker with 1/2" piece of ginger and salt till done.
  Heat oil in a pan and fry  the paneer pieces lightly, Set aside. In the same oil, add cumin seeds and dry red chilli, then add chopped onion, when onions start change color, add ginger-garlic paste. Mix and add turmeric, chilli and coriander powder.
• Mix the masalas well and add pureed tomato. Add soaked chole and mix well. Now add garam masala powder. Add 1 cup warm water into the pan. Add fried paneer and season with salt. Cover with lid and cook till the gravy thickens. 
• Lastly add chat masala or amchur powder. You can also add kasuri methi(dried fenugreek leaves), I skip it in this recipe. 
• Serve hot with naan, kulcha, paratha or puri.