Chole Bhature
Recipe: Chole Bhature
Chole Bhature is a popular dish in the Northern part of India. Apparently, it originates from Delhi. Chole is a spicy chickpea curry and bhatura is a soft puffed up flatbread that goes with the chole. One is bhatura and several are called bhature. It is also known as chana bhature. Generally enjoyed as a breakfast dish, but one can enjoy it for lunch or dinner. We love chole bhature with some chilled chaas.
The process of making chole bhature with homemade chole masala or spice mixture may seem tedious but trust me, it is worth all the effort. The freshness of spices adds so much flavour and aroma to the chole.
Sharing This Recipe With Sunday Funday Group
Sunday Funday is a fun group where every Sunday we wait for participants recipes. We all cook according to a theme decided by a member. For this weekend, Sneha suggested we prepare something using chickpeas or chickpea flour. Both are widely used in the Indian Cuisine.
Check Out What Members Of Sunday Funday Have Made For Chickpeas Theme
- Sneha’s Recipe: Air Fryer Roasted Chickpeas
- A Day in the Life on the Farm: Chickpea and Farro Soup
- Mayuri’s Jikoni: Chole Bhature
- Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Greek Seasoned Roasted Chickpeas
- Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Pearl Couscous & Chickpea Salad with Basil
- Food Lust People Love: Roasted Salmon with Crispy Chickpea Salsa
- Palatable Pastime: Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Two Types Of Chickpeas
Kabuli Chana – known world wide as chickpeas or garbanzo beans. They are usually large and creamy white in colour. These are popular in the North Indian Cuisine and also in the Mediterranean one.
Kala Chana/ Desi Chickpeas – these are usually brown in colour and small. These too are used to make curries. Kala chana are used to make split chickpea dal or lentil. Also used to make chickpea flour which is known as besan in India.
Some More Dishes With Chickpeas/ Chickpea Flour
Ingredients Required For Chole Bhature And Chole Spice Mixture
Kabuli Chana
White chickpeas or garbanzo beans. Soak them overnight in warm water. Or you can used canned ones.
Tea Leaves
Loose tea leaves or 1 tea bag to make black tea. Will be adding that to the chole or chickpea curry. Optional, if you don’t want to add black tea to the curry you can omit it.
Mint
It will add a lovely flavour to the chole.
Ajwain
For the chole or chickpea curry.
Mustard Seeds
Rai na dana, for the chole.
Cumin Seeds
Jeera, Jiru, required for the chole.
Fresh Tomato Puree
I prefer using fresh tomato puree as opposed to finely chopped tomatoes. Can use canned tomato puree or passata.
Onion
Peeled and finely chopped. I prefer to use red onion for chole but if you don’t have any then use the white ones.
Garlic
Peeled and minced.
Ginger
Peeled and minced or grated. If you like can chop it into thin slivers. In that case use a one inch ginger knob.
Green Chillis
Finely chopped or minced. Add according to your taste.
Chole Masala
Chole spice mixture. Use homemade one or ready made one. Easily available in Indian Stores or Online. I prefer making a small batch at home as the flavours and aroma are fresh. I buy all my spices online from Singhal’s.
Salt
Need for the chole and the bhatura dough. Add according to your taste.
Turmeric Powder
Haldi, hardar. Need for the chole and the chole spice mixture.
Ghee
Optional. I love the aroma and flavour of ghee so add it to almost all my curries. For a vegan version omit ghee.
Oil
Oil required for the chole, for the bhatura dough and also for deep frying the bhature.
Water
To add to the chole, to cook the chole if you are using raw ones, for the bhatura dough and for making black tea.
Kasuri Methi
Kasuri methi is dried fenugreek. It is not the same as fenugreek seeds. Easily available in Indian Stores or Online. Need for both the chole and bhatura dough (if you don’t fresh fenugreek for the dough).
Fresh Coriander
To add to the chole.
Fresh Fenugreek
Methi, optional. To add to the bhatura dough. If you don’t get it in your area then add kasuri methi.
Bay Leaves
Tej patta, for the chole spice mixture.
Dry Red Chillis
For the chole spice mixture.
Coriander Seeds
for the chole spice mixture.
Black Cardamom
for the chole spice mixture.
Black Peppercorns
For the chole spice mixture.
Cinnamon
For the chole spice mixture.
Fennel Seeds
For the chole spice mixture.
Asafoetida
Hing. Optional. If you want gluten free chole then omit it as hing contains wheat. Or use the pure form. Need it for the chole spice mixture.
Amchur Powder
Dried mango powder. For the chole spice mixture.
Plain Flour
For the bhatura dough. You can use half plain or all purpose flour and half wholewheat flour. But make sure you use the one that is ideal for Indian flatbreads and not the one available in the supermarkets for breads.
Semolina
Sooji. Need a little for the bhatura. Helps to make the bhature a bit crispy.
Sugar
Need a little bit for the bhatura dough.
Baking Powder
For the bhatura dough. Helps to make the bhature puff up.
Baking Soda
For the bhatura dough. Helps to make the bhature puff up.
Yogurt
Plain yogurt. Dahi or curd. Try and use thick yogurt. Makes the bhature soft.
Watch How To Make Chole Bhature
CHOLE BHATURE & CHOLE SPICE MIXTURE
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED FOR BLACK TEA
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 tsp tea leaves or 1 tea bag
- 10-12 mint leaves
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED FOR CHOLE SPICE MIXTURE
- 2 bay leaves
- 1-2 dry red chillis
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 3 black cardamom
- 6-8 black peppercorns
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp amchur powder
- ¼ tsp asafoetida
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED FOR CHOLE/ CHICKPEA CURRY
- 1 cup kabuli chana raw
- 3 cups water
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup black tea
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp ghee optional
- 1 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp green chilli paste
- ½ cup fresh tomato puree
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp ajwain
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi
- 1 tbsp chole masala/ spice mixture
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED FOR BHATURE
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp semolina
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp kasuri methi
- 4 tbsp oil
- ½ cup plain yogurt thick
- ¼ -⅓ cup water
- oil for deep frying
Instructions
PREPARATION OF BLACK TEA
- Take ½ cup hot water in a mixing bowl or a cup.
- Tear the mint leaves into small pieces and add to the hot water.
- Add the tea leaves or tea bag.
- Cover the allow the tea and mint to infuse. Leave it till the tea becomes cold.
- Strain the mixture using a sieve. Keep the black tea on the side till required.
PREPARATION OF CHOLE MASALA / SPICE MIXTURE
- Add all the whole spices - bay leaves, dry red chillis, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cardamom,peppercorns and fennel in a wide pan.
- Roast the spices over low heat for about 2-3 minutes till you get the aroma and the coriander seeds turn golden brown.
- Remove the spices from the pan into a plate. Allow the spices to cool down completely.
- Add the roasted spices in the spice grinder jar. Also add turmeric powder, asafoetida and amchur powder to it.
- Grind the spices to a fine powder.
- Store any leftover spice powder in an airtight container.
PREPARATION OF CHOLE/ CHICKPEA CURRY
SOAK AND COOK CHICKPEAS
- If you are using raw chickpeas (kabuli chana) then you need to soak them in enough warm water overnight or for 6-8 hours.
- Next day drain out the water, wash the soaked chickpeas in a colander.
- Add the chickpeas in a pressure cooker. Add 3 cups of water and 1 tsp salt.
- Pressure cook over medium heat for 3 whistles.
- Alternately, use an instant pot at the pressure cooker setting.
- If you are using canned chickpeas then you can omit the above steps. You will need two cans of chickpeas. Drain out the water and wash the chickpeas.
PREPARE THE CHOLE
- Heat oil and ghee in a pan over medium heat. For vegan version, omit ghee.
- Add mustard, cumin seeds and ajwain.
- Add chopped onion and stir fry till they turn light brown in colour.
- Add garlic paste and stir fry for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add ginger and green chilli pastes. Stir fry for a minute.
- Add the fresh tomato puree.
- Add salt, red chilli and turmeric powders. Mix well.
- Cook the tomato mixture till it becomes a bit thick.
- Add the black tea and mix well.
- Add the cooked chickpeas. Mix well.
- Lower the heat, cover the pan and allow the curry to simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Add ½ cup water and allow the curry to become hot again.
- Add the chole masala and kasuri methi. Mix well.
- Take the pan off the heat. Leave the chole on the side till required.
- At the time of serving, heat it up again. If it is too dry, add a bit of water.
- Garnish with chopped fresh coriander and serve with bhature.
PREPARATION OF BHATURA DOUGH
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl.
- Add kasuri methi,semolina and sugar. Mix well.
- If you are using fresh fenugreek or methi, chop it up finely. Add to the flour.
- Add 4 tbsp of oil and mix into the flour.
- Add yogurt and mix lightly.
- Add water little by little and make a dough that is not too hard or too soft. It should not be sticky at all. You should be able to handle it without using extra flour. The amount of water required will depend on how watery or thick the yogurt is.
- If the dough becomes sticky, add some more flour.
- Cover the dough with a damp towel or a lid and allow it to rest for 15-30 minutes.
PREPARE THE BHATURE
- Heat enough oil in a wok or kadai for deep frying. Don't use high heat, keep at medium to low setting.
- Rub about 1 tsp of oil over your palms and knead the dough gently to make it smooth.
- Divide the dough into 12-14 parts. Roll each part into a ball.
- Rub little oil over the worktop or board. Roll one dough part into a circle which is about 3-4 inches in diameter. Don't make the bhatura too thin or thick.
- Roll the rest of the dough pieces in the same way.
- Take a tiny piece of the dough and drop it in the oil. If it comes up immediately, the oil is ready for deep frying the bhature.
- Add carefully one rolled out bhatura and deep fry turning it over a few times, till it puffs up and becomes pinkish in colour.
- Remove the puffed up bhatura from the oil and place it in a colander.
- Repeat the same with the rest of the rolled out dough.
- Serve hot bhature with chole.
Notes
- Store remaining spice mixture in an airtight container. Or you can use ready made chole masala.
- If you roll out the bhatura dough too thin then they will not puff up.
- For vegan bhature omit yogurt and use water to make the dough or use vegan yogurt.
- Allow the raw chickpeas to soak well before cooking them.
- If you don't have a pressure cooker or an instant pot, you can cook the chickpeas in a saucepan with water. Cook till done. Add more hot water if required.
- Chickpeas are sometimes cooked with some black tea.
Pin For Later:
A Little Request:
If you do try this recipe then please either
- add a comment below,
- send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
- tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
- or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962
8 Comments
Wendy Klik
June 25, 2023 at 11:47 am
Does pomegranate go by another name. I see the seeds in the photo but not in the recipe list.
mayurisjikoni
June 28, 2023 at 3:23 pm
Wendy,nope. Just added as garnish as I had some. Otherwise mostly prepared without it. Some use dried pomegranate seeds instead of dried mango powder to add a bit of tang.
Sneha Datar
June 25, 2023 at 12:15 pm
This looks so delicious, we love this!
mayurisjikoni
June 28, 2023 at 3:22 pm
Thanks Sneha, we too love chole bhature.
Colleen – Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck
June 25, 2023 at 10:44 pm
Wow! What a great recipe…it sounds so flavorful…and definitely like something I would enjoy trying!
mayurisjikoni
June 28, 2023 at 3:21 pm
Thank you so much Colleen. It is also part of the menu in most Indian restaurants in US and Canada.
Stacy
June 26, 2023 at 11:03 am
What a beautiful, colorful dish, Mayuri! Your bhature remind me of a bread I loved when we lived in Trinidad. For reasons I don’t know or understand, it was called a bake, even though it was deep fried!
mayurisjikoni
June 28, 2023 at 3:20 pm
Thank you so much Stacy. Trini Doubles as it is called is famous as street food and introduced to Trinidad because of the Indians there. The flatbread is slightly different as they use yeast. Perhaps that is why it is known as bake also, though it is deep fried.