Cooking 101
What Is Chole? The Chickpea Curry, Explained
7 September 2026 · 5 min read
Chole (pronounced choh-lay) is the Hindi word for chickpeas, and by extension the North Indian curry made from them. It's one of the most-eaten dishes in Punjab and Delhi, and the vegetarian curry most likely to convert someone who thinks they don't like vegetarian food.
Chole vs chana masala
They start the same: white chickpeas in an onion, tomato, ginger and garlic base with cumin, coriander, turmeric and garam masala. The differences are regional and practical.
| Chana masala | Punjabi chole | |
|---|---|---|
| Colour | Orange-red | Deep brown to near-black |
| Sourness | Tomato | Amchur, anardana or amla |
| Gravy | Lighter, everyday | Thicker, richer |
| Served with | Rice or roti | Bhature, kulcha or rice |
Where the dark colour comes from
Traditional Punjabi chole is simmered with a tea bag, dried amla, or anardana (pomegranate seed powder) in the pot. That's what produces the near-black gravy — not over-browned onions or scorched spice, which is the usual home-cook mistake.
What to serve with chole
- Bhature — deep-fried leavened bread; the classic chole bhature pairing
- Kulcha — soft leavened flatbread, often stuffed
- Steamed basmati rice — the everyday weeknight version
- Sliced raw onion with lemon and green chilli on the side
Nutrition
Chickpeas bring roughly 15g of protein and 12g of fibre per cooked cup, with a low glycaemic index. Chole is naturally vegan when made without cream or ghee, and is usually gluten-free — though the bhature served with it is not.
Related questions
- What is chole made of?
- White chickpeas (kabuli chana) simmered in an onion, tomato, ginger and garlic gravy with cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala and a souring agent such as amchur or anardana.
- Is chole the same as chana masala?
- They're the same base dish. Chana masala is the lighter everyday version; Punjabi chole is darker, tangier and richer.
- Is chole healthy?
- Chickpeas are high in protein and fibre with a low glycaemic index. The curry itself is naturally vegan and gluten-free unless cream, ghee or bhature bread are added.
- What is chole bhature?
- Chole served with bhature — a deep-fried leavened bread. It's a Punjabi breakfast and street-food staple.