Chola ~Chickpeas. Potatoes, Onions and more

Chola


Chola is an Indian street food popular over centuries. There are numerous ways to prepare this food, which is not to be confused with the Monarchs of India centuries ago, who were also known as Cholas. 
Chickpeas (also known as chola or channa) are the basis of this purely vegetarian dish, which is mixed with finely chopped tomatoes, onions, green chilies, and corriander leaves. It is not complete without adding condiments to make it tangy with a hint of sweetness and a tad spicy. This is in the form of a tamarind and date chutney, perhaps a squeeze of lemon and a spice mix called chaat masala.
I love to add fresh mango and boiled potato cubes to add to the texture and flavour. 

Here is my recipe I share. It is best to taste as you go along to help you keep it best suited to your palate.

Preparing the chola,salt seller, date and tamarind chutney, chaat masala, red chillie powder, fresh lemon, the puris and yogurt

Serves 12 persons

To Toss Together

4 cup cooked chickpeas
2 small onions, finely chopped about 1 cup
a large handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped
6 to 12 sprigs  finely chopped fresh mint ~fudno~phudina
1 large tomato, finely cubed
2 small green raw mangoes, peeled and finely chopped
2 potatoes finely cubed 2 cups
4 finely chopped fresh green chillies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chilli powder

To Dress

1/4 cup chutney  made from tamarind and date
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp chaat masala
Freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1/2 lemon to start with
4 tbsp yogurt
pinch of sugar
24 small crisp puris broken into pieces

In a large bowl, toss together the chickpeas, onions, coriander, mint, tomato, mango, potatoes, and green chillies. Sprinkle the salt and red chilli powder all over. 

When ready to serve, dress it with the chutney, the chaat masala, yoghurt and sugar. 
Mix well. 
Lastly, add the crisp puri in broken pieces. Alternately, serve the chola on top of the puris individually.

Tips
Boil and peel the potato before cutting it. 
Buy ready-cooked chickpeas in cans but rinse them thoroughly before using them. 
If you cannot find mangoes locally, add a tsp or two of dry mango powder called Amchur instead. 
Mint always adds to the freshness but is not an integral part of the dish. 
Before serving, taste that the balance of spice, sweet, and sour is perfectly balanced for your palate.

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.