When you want to pack proteins in your diet, get going with chickpeas. North Indian style curries with chickpeas are perfect for lunchbox recipes. Methi Chole is a popular Punjabi dish that combines fenugreek leaves with chole in a spicy gravy. It’s also a convenient way to include greens in your meal in a tasty manner. The aroma of this curry is amazing and it’ll make you want to eat it as soon as you make it.
Recipe Details :
Serves: 4 pax
Time: 30 mins
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients :
- 2 cups methi leaves, chopped
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 1 big tomato, finely chopped
- 1.5 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 3 cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cardamom pods (break and finely powder)
- 2 green chillies, slit in half along the length
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 2 tsp aamchur / dry mango powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
- Salt to taste
- 3 tbsp oil
Method:
- Wash the fenugreek leaves and chop them roughly.
- Wash and soak the chole in water for 6 – 8 hours.
- Drain the water and add the chole in a pressure cooker along with 3 tsp of salt and 3 cups water. Pressure cook this for 6 whistles on a medium flame. Then switch off the cooker and let it cool till the pressure is naturally released.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add the bay leaves, cloves, cardamom powder and let them crackle for a few seconds.
- Now add the chopped onion, a pinch of salt and saute them till they are translucent. Add ginger garlic paste to the onions and continue cooking till they are golden brown.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and green chillies at this stage and fry them for 2 mins.
- Then add the turmeric powder, garam masala powder, dry mango powder and coriander powder. Mix well to combine. Let this paste cook for 2-3 mins.
- Add the chole along with the cooking water. Taste and add more salt, if required.
- Cook the chole for around 10 mins on a low flame.
- Finally add the chopped fenugreek leaves and mix them well and cook them for another 3 mins. The aroma of the sabzi is amazing.
- Tastes good when served hot and best paired with roti or naan.


Tips:
- Make sure the chole is well cooked before you add it to the gravy. You can cook it for some more time in the pressure cooker if needed.
- Ensure that the methi leaves are washed well. Rinse them multiple times before cutting.