Punjabi is a tribe that spans across Pakistan and India. Being the most popular in the region of Pakistan and India, one of their healthier recipes that would get you dazzling is Chole Bhature.
Chana Bhatura as it is also called is one of the most popular Indian food recipes which perch for a spiced tangy chickpea curry and Bhatura, a soft and fluffy fried leavened bread.
Preparing Chole Bhature (Recipes)
Ingredients
The ingredients that go into the preparation of Chole Bhature are the following;
for pressure cooking chickpeas
- 1 cup dried white chickpeas [canned chickpeas can also be used]
- water as required for soaking
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups water for pressure cooking
- a pinch or two of baking soda – optional
Gravy ingredints
- 2 to 3 tablespoon oil or ghee
- A half teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) – optional
- ½ or 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
- 1 to 1.5 cups water to be added later
- salt as required
- 1 green chilli (hari mirch) – slit
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala or chole masala
Whole garam masala
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 large tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- 2 inch cinnamon
- 2 to 3 cloves
- 2 green cardamom
- 2 to 3 black peppercorns
Ground paste ingredients
- 1 medium size onion – chopped
- 2 medium size tomatoes – chopped
- 1 inch ginger – chopped
- 4 to 5 medium sized garlic cloves – chopped
- 1 green chili – chopped
Ingredient for bhatura
- One and half cups maida (all-purpose flour)
- A half cup fine sooji (rava or fine semolina)
- A half tablespoon oil or ghee
- A half tablespoon fine granulated sugar
- A half teaspoon salt or as required
- Half teaspoon baking soda
- Half cup Curd (yogurt)
- water – as required for kneading
- Oil – for deep frying as required
Step by step (Instructions) for Chole Bhature
Pressure cooking chickpeas
- Rinse the white chickpeas for a couple of times in water. Then soak the chickpeas in enough water overnight or for 7 to 8 hours.
- Next day drain all the water and cook the chickpeas with water and salt in a pressure cooker or a pot. You can also add a pinch or two of baking soda while cooking the chickpeas.
- Drain the water and keep the chickpeas aside.
Making the curry
- In a grinder or blender take 1 medium sized chopped onion, 2 medium sized chopped tomatoes, 1 inch chopped ginger, 4 to 5 garlic cloves and 1 chopped green chili.
- Grind or blend to a fine paste and keep aside. Do not add water while making the paste as the juice of the tomatoes will help in making the paste.
- Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil in a pan or kadai or wok.
- Add the whole garam masala (spices) thus a teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 large tej patta, 2 inch cinnamon, 2 to 3 cloves, 2 green cardamom and 2 to 3 black peppercorns.
- Fry the whole garam masala mentioned above till the oil become fragrant. But don’t burn them.
- Add the ground paste and saute till the oil starts to leave the sides of the masala paste.
- Keep stirring often. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes or more till the oil starts to leave the sides of the masala paste and the paste thickens and becomes glossy. Stir while sautéing so that the paste does not stick to the pan.
- Next add all the dry spice powders – ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi), ¼ teaspoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder (dhania powder), 1 pinch asafoetida (optional) and ½ or 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur).
- Mix very well and saute for a minute or two. Now add the cooked chickpeas and stir.
- Add 1 to 1.5 cups water or add as required. Also add salt as per taste and mix well.
- Simmer the gravy on a low or medium flame for 12 to 15 minutes or till the curry thickens. Don’t cover the pan. Stir occasionally.
- Mash a few chickpeas with the back of spoon. This helps in thickening the gravy.
- Lastly add 1 slit green chili and 1 teaspoon garam masala powder or chole masala powder. Mix well and simmer for a minute or two.
- Check the seasoning and add more salt or spice powders if required. Garnish the curry with coriander leaves. You can also garnish with some slit green chilies and ginger julienne.
Serve chickpea curry with onion slices, lemon wedges along with bhatura. Enjoy the chickpea curry with bhature.
Making Bhatura
- Using a sieve, sift the maida (all-purpose flour), salt and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Then add the semolina and sugar to the sifted ingredients.
- Now to the sifted ingredients, add the curd (yogurt). Mix very well with a spoon.
- Adding water in parts first mix and then knead to a smooth and soft dough.
- Cover the dough with a wet cotton napkin and let it rest for 2 hours. After 2 hours, pinch medium-sized balls from the dough.
- Roll the dough piece to a neat ball between your palms. Place the dough ball on your work surface and press it lightly with your fingers. Spread a bit of oil on both sides of the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough ball into an oval or elongated shape. You can also make a round circle.
- In a pan or kadai heat oil on medium-high heat for deep frying. Drop the rolled dough in hot oil and it will quickly start puffing in the oil.
- When the sizzling of the oil stops, turn over the bhatura and fry the other side. You can flip once or twice for even cooking.
- When light golden or golden, remove the bhatura and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil. Roll and fry all bhaturas this way.
Serve the hot puffed up Bhatura with the chickpea curry.
F.A.Q about Chole Bhature
Why is chole bhature unhealthy?
Answer; Chole Bhature is a healthier dish among the various recipes from India but due to the saturated amount of saturated fats, high intake of the food can increase the cholesterol level of the person. Chole Bhature should be taken in moderation.
Is chole bhature and poori same?
Bhature is similar to Puri, however, the ingredients used in the preparation of Puri is wheat flour and fermented ingredients. The ingredients in the making of Bhature are leavened.
Is chole bhature made of maida?
The traditional recipe for the making of Bhature is the maida, refined white flour.
Is chole Kulche and chole bhature same?
Chole kulche goes through baking or toasting whereas Chole Bhature is deep fried.
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