Chole / Chana Masala — Chickpea Pressure Technique (छोले / चना मसाला)

Punjab — chole bhature (chickpea with fried bread) is the emblematic Punjabi breakfast/brunch dish; associated with Amritsar

Punjabi chole represents the highest form of the chickpea preparation: the chickpeas are black-brown, not beige; the gravy is dark, thick, and tangy; and the flavour is achieved through a combination of tea-water cooking (for colour and tannin), whole spice simmering, and an intensely reduced onion-tomato masala. The chickpeas are soaked overnight, then pressure-cooked in water with a black tea bag and dried amla (Indian gooseberry) — both darken the chickpeas from the inside and add tannin that mimics the flavour of iron-pot cooking. The masala is built separately with heavily caramelised onion, tomato cooked to a near-paste, and chole masala (Everest or MDH brands are standard commercial references).

With bhature (leavened fried bread), kulcha, or puri. Raw onion, pickled chilli, and lassi. Complete as a standalone meal.