Chhole (Khatte Chane) Bhature

Two-in-one recipe Chole bhature is a typical dish widely eaten in Northern India mainly Punjab.  It is a combination of chana masala (spicy white chickpeas) and bhatura/puri, a fried bread made from maida.

Chole bhature is often eaten as a breakfast dish, sometimes accompanied with lassi. It can also be street food or a complete meal and may be accompanied with onions, pickled carrots, green chutney or achaar.

 Ingredients

• 2 cups Kabuli chana (Chickpeas) soaked overnight and boiled (or use 2 cans of ready chick peas 400 gms. each)
• 3 large tomatoes, chopped (or one cup pasatta, or 2 tbsp. tomato paste)
• ½ tsp whole black pepper corns
• 1 tsp Ajwain (caraway seeds)
• 2 tsp. Kashmiri chili powder
• ½ tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. tamarind pulp
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• ½ tsp. garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. Ghee or Oil
• Chopped onions for garnish
• Chopped coriander for garnish

1. Heat ghee and add the pepper corns and ajwain. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn soft (alternately use a cup of pasatta and cook few minutes).
2. Add chilli, turmeric and fry till oil separates.
3. Add the boiled chana alongwith the liquid and adjust salt.
4. Bring to a boil and simmer few mintues while mashing some of the chana to thicken the gravy.
5. Add the tamarind pulp, cook five minutes and then add the cumin powder and garam masala powder.
6. Stir well and simmer till fat surfaces and gravy is thick.
7. Serve garnished with chopped onions and coriander leaves alongwith Bhaturas  (Recipe Bhaturas)

Bhaturas

Ingedients

• 2 cups Maida (all purpose flour)
• 1/2 cup Rava
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. soda bicarb
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tbsp. yogurt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2.5 tsp. ghee
• Oil for frying

Method

1. Sieve with the flour and rava with the baking powder and soda bicarb and salt.
2. Mix 1 tsp. sugar with 2 tbsp. yogurt, make a well in the centre of the flour, add water little at a time and bring the flour together and knead to a soft but firm dough.
3. Cover with a wet cloth and leave for 10 minutes.
4. After 10 minutes, add melted ghee and knead the dough soft and smooth. 
5. Leave covered with cloth to rest for 45 minutes.
6. Divide into lemon sized balls or as per desired size and roll out into discs and deep fry in hot oil till puffed up on both sides.
7. Serve hot with Chhole garnished with chopped onion & coriander leaves.