Chole Bhatura Recipe

This popular Indian dish is best enjoyed on an empty stomach. Rich, spicy and heavy, this is one of the most popular Punjabi dishes and is a must-try dish in Delhi.

Don’t be surprised if you find it on the breakfast menu of restaurants across the capital. You can find this lip-smacking dish at all food joints, be it local joints or restaurants, given its popularity with Delhiites. It is generally accompanied by a thick, cold glass of Lassi.

It usually consists of deep-fried flatbread (Bhature) paired with a spicy chickpea dish (Chole). Check out the recipe below.

Chole Bhatura

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Prep Time 9 hrs

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 9 hrs 30 mins

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine North Indian, Punjabi

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

FOR BHATURA:

• 2 cup Maida
• 2 tbsp Rava semolina (fine)
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Baking soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1/4 cup Curds
• Water for kneading
• Oil for frying

FOR PRESSURE COOKING CHOLE:

• 1 cup Chana chickpea (soaked overnight)
• 2 Teabags
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 3 cup Water

FOR CHHOLE PREPARATION:

• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 Black cardamon
• 2 Pod cardamon
• 1 inch Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Cumin/ jeera
• 1/2 tsp Kasuri methi
• 1 Onion finely chopped
• 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Chilli powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala
• 1 tsp Aamchur
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 cup Tomato puree
• 2 tbsp Coriander finely chopped

Instructions

 

How to Make Bhatura:

• In a large bowl, combine 2 cups maida, 2 tbsp Rava, 1 tsp sugar, ¼ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp salt, and 2 tbsp oil.
• Add ¼ cup curd and mix well, making sure everything is well combined.
• Slowly add water as required and knead the dough until it is smooth and soft. Ensure you don't over-knead the dough as this would make the bhatura chewy. 
• Grease the dough with oil, cover, and rest for 2 hours.
• Then knead the dough lightly.
• Divide the dough into equal-sized balls and set them aside.
• Roll them so they are slightly thick around the edges and thin at the centre (this ensures they puff in the middle when deep fried), applying oil to prevent them from sticking.
• Drop the rolled dough into the hot oil, heated to 350° F.
• Press until the bhatura puffs up and baste with hot oil to allow it to puff up fully.
• Flip over and fry until golden brown.
• Finally, drain the bhatura on paper towels.

How to Make Chole for Bhatura:

• Soak 1 cup chana in twice its volume in water for 8 hours, then put in a pressure cooker.
• Add 2 tea bags, ¼ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, and 3 cups water. If you do not have tea bags, make up some tea and add it to the cooker, this is done to replace the dark color from dried amlas or sour gooseberries which, when sundried, turn black.
• Cover and pressure cook for 5 whistles.
• Once the pressure is released, open the cooker and discard the tea bags. Set the channa aside.
• In a large kadai, heat 2 tbsp oil, 1 bay leaf, 1 black cardamom, 2 pod cardamom, 1-inch cinnamon, 1 tsp cumin, and ½ tsp Kasuri methi. Sauté on low heat until the spices release their essential oils.
• Now add 1 onion and 1 tsp ginger garlic paste and sauté until the onion turns golden brown.
• Add ¼ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp cumin powder, ½ tsp garam masala, 1 tsp amchur or dry mango powder, and ¼ tsp salt.
• Sauté on a low flame ensuring the spices don't burn.
• Prepare a tomato purée by blending 2½ ripened tomatoes in a blender without any extra water. Deseed the tomatoes for a smoother texture.
• Add 1½ cup tomato purée and cook covered on low heat until the oil splits and raises to the top of the curry. Now add the boiled chole and mix well. Adjust the consistency by adding water if required. If the curry is too thin, remove some of the cooked channa, mash it or blend it in a food processor and then blend it into the curry.
• Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the chole has absorbed all the flavors.
• To prepare the tempering, heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan, add 2 dry red chilis, ¼ tsp turmeric, ¼ tsp chili powder, and ¼ tsp garam masala, allowing the masalas to bloom in the ghee.
• Sauté on a low flame, without burning the spices.
• Pour the tempering over the chole masala, add 2 tbsp coriander, and mix well.
• Finally, serve the chole with the bhatura and enjoy with some sliced red onions.

Notes

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