Imli Chole – a sweet-and-sour chickpea curry flavored with tamarind and classic Indian spices. Vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free. Jump to Recipe
Imli Chole is a variation of the classic chickpea curry, often served as a main course with hot naan or roti, or used as a tangy topping for Indian chaat snacks. This version balances sweet, sour and savory notes, with tamarind adding a bright, fruity acidity against warm spices.
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Imli Chole (Sweet and Sour Chickpeas / Garbanzo Bean / Chana Curry)
4.67 from 3 votes
By: Vegan Richa
Prep: 2 mins
Cook: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 2 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Gluten-free, Indian, Soy-free, Vegan
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Imli Chole is a sweet-and-sour chickpea curry made with tamarind and warming Indian spices. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free.
Ingredients
- 15 oz can garbanzo beans/chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 cup dry chickpeas soaked overnight)
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon asofetida (hing) — omit to keep fully gluten-free
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste or 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste or 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon raw sugar
- 1/2–1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate (or 2 teaspoons tamarind pulp), adjust for desired sourness
- 1.5–2 cups water
- 1/2 tsp chaat masala or amchur (dry mango powder) for garnish
Instructions
- In a pressure cooker or a deep pan, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and asofetida (hing). Cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally. For a thicker curry, puree the cooked onions and return the puree to the pan, cooking for another 6–7 minutes before proceeding.
- Stir in the ginger and garlic paste, red chili flakes, and the dry spices (cumin, coriander, cloves, cinnamon). Cook about 3 minutes to bloom the spices.
- Add the rinsed chickpeas, salt, sugar, tamarind concentrate (or pulp), and water. Mix well.
- If using canned chickpeas, pressure cook for about 10 minutes after coming to pressure. If using soaked dry chickpeas, cook about 20 minutes after pressure is reached (3–4 whistles), or longer for softer beans.
- If cooking in a deep pan, add an additional 1/2 cup water, cover, and simmer on low–medium heat until the chickpeas are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Let pressure release naturally before opening the cooker. Check and adjust salt, spice and tamarind to taste. Lightly mash a few chickpeas to thicken the sauce if desired. Sprinkle chaat masala or amchur before serving.
- Serve hot with naan or rotis, or use as a tangy topping for chaat snacks.
Nutrition
Calories: 428 kcal, Carbohydrates: 67 g, Protein: 19 g, Fat: 9 g, Sodium: 600 mg, Potassium: 699 mg, Fiber: 17 g, Sugar: 14 g, Vitamin A: 205 IU, Vitamin C: 6.8 mg, Calcium: 123 mg, Iron: 6.7 mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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