Dhabe de Chole | How to make Punjabi Dhabe de Chole

For the next day of cooking from my bookmarked recipes, I picked up Vaishali's Dhabe de Chole. This recipe is supposed to the Punjabi Dhaba style of making Chhole. I have always been obsessed with Punjabi food, more-so with Dhaba dishes. So the moment I read that it was Dhaba style, I had to make it.

Since most of our Sunday Breakfast is Poori Channa, I thought it would be a good thing to change the channa and see if the kids like. It was a super duper hit and kids enjoyed their meal. I was so happy that I was including yet another chhole recipe to my collection! Vaishali says she got this from her Punjabi friend's mom, so its authentic recipe and not much of a fuss in making it.

Since I skipped using tea bags, my chhole is not as dark as Vaishali's. I am sure that also lends some taste to the greavy. Since we don't stock tea bags, didn't have any on hand. However taste wise its very delicious.

If you are fond of chhole, then you must try this.

While I was making this, Veena pinged me asking for my chhole recipe links. She said she wanted to make for fourth week. I was grinning and told her that its funny that I should be also be trying a channa recipe from Vaishali and she was doing from mine!

Well back to the recipe, you make and enjoy with pooris!

Dhabe de Chole

Ingredients Needed:

For the Chole

Kabuli Chana - 1 cup
Potato cubed - 1
Onions sliced 2 medium
Ginger - 1"
Green chilly sliced 2 -3
Coriander - Cumin powder - 2 tsp
Black salt 1 tsp
Roasted cumin pwd 1 tsp
Black pepper pwd 1/4 tsp
Tea bags 2 -3 (I skipped)
Salt to taste

Soak the chana for 5-6 hours or overnight. Change waters couple of times.

Put everything in pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles or till the channa is soft. I PC channa first for 2 whistles and then add all the ingredients and PC for one more.  Let the pressure fall down.

Meanwhile you can make for the masala for tempering

Spice Masala

Ghee - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Bay leaf - 2 
Black cardamom 1
Red chilly pwd 1 tsp
Coriander - Cumin Powder 1 tsp
Black pepper pwd 1/4 tsp
Aamchoor pwd 4 tso
Garam masala 1 tsp

Heat oil and ghee. Add bay leaf and black cardamom. green chillies.

Add all the spices and roast for a few minutes.

When it starts becoming aromatic, add to the channa in the pressure cooker.

Once again pressure cook these for a whistle.

After the pressure falls, remove the tea bags, bay leaf and the cardamom.

Serve hot with ready kulchas/bread /pav/rice /bhatura.

Vankaya Chukka Kura | Chukkakura Vankaya Vepudu ~ Lunch Box Series : LBS#81

Recently when my sil visited us, she got along some five different varieties of greens. She gets excellent good quality greens at throw away price and makes greens related dishes almost four times a four. With grown up kids, she doesn't have any problem of picky eaters. However when I myself don't gel so well with it, I tend to avoid making, though I love it when eating.

Some of the greens were beyond my understanding and so packed it off to Amma. She told me that all the greens are very popular in Andhra and the dishes are famous in terms of traditional methods and for their health benefits. Of course, off late all are moving towards healthy eating habits and including greens in their diet has become a norm.

Whatever reasons, I was happy that I got to enjoy another traditional Andhra dish. The greens used in this dish is called Chukka Kura. While leaves are Aakku in Telugu, all edible greens are called kura/koora. So this greens are paired with Brinjal. Brinjal in general is a favorite vegetable for the Telugus and it makes a great combination with the greens in this dish.

The dish is a dry saute, served with dal or sambar for lunch. I took it for my lunch along with Rotis. The other greens recipe will follow for next week. Anyway I had a wonderful meal with these two dishes.I read on the Internet that this greens is also called as Khatta Palak. Wish I had clicked a picture before cooking it.

Vankaya Chukka Kura

Ingredients Needed:

Brinjal - 250 gms
Chukka Kura - 1 bunch
Onions - 1 medium
Ginger Garlic paste - 1.5 tsp
Green Chilies - 2 nos
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder a pinch
Chili powder - 3/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 3/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp

How to make the Vankaya Chukka Kura

Wash and chop the leaves, keep it aside. Cut brinjal into julienne.

Heat a pan with oil, saute onions till they turn colour, then add ginger garlic paste, saute well.

Now add green chilies, brinjal pieces, combine everything well. Add salt and turmeric, cover with lid and simmer for 5 mins.

Now add Red chili powder, chukka kura, coriander powder and cumin powder. Combine and simmer for 5 mins.

Keep stirring and cook for 5 mins.

Notes

This dish cooks only till the brinjal is cooked, the leaves are quite tender and gets cooked fast.


This goes for the June Week 4, Cooking from Cookbook Challenge  Group.