Deep fried bhatura served with spicy chhole, this dish makes for a typical breakfast or day time meal in North and Central India. Usually served with onions and pickle, it is a complete, filling meal and can be made quite easily at home.

To purchase any highlighted ingredient or equipment used in this recipe, click on it.

Ingredients for Chhole

• 1 cup Chickpeas (Kabuli Chane), soaked overnight
• 1 inch piece Fresh Ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 medium Tomatoes
• 1 Green Chili
• 1-1/2 tablespoons Cooking Oil
• 1 teaspoon Jeera (Cumin seeds)
• 1/4 teaspoon Red Chili powder
• 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1/2 teaspoon Amchur (Dry mango powder)
• 1 Tea bag
• Salt, to taste

Ingredients for Bhature

• 1 cup Maida (All-purpose flour)
• 1 tablespoon Sooji (Semolina)
• 1 tablespoon Curd (Yogurt)
• Pinch of Baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
• Cooking Oil, for frying

Procedure for making Chhole Bhature

1. Combine maida, sooji, baking powder, salt, curd and sugar in a bowl. Mix with hands well and add water slowly to knead into soft dough.
2. Cover it with a damp cloth and keep aside for 2 – 3 hours at a warm place to allow it to get well fermented.
3. Drain the water from the soaked chickpeas and transfer them into a pressure cooker. Add 3 cup of fresh water along with a tea bag.
4. After 2 whistles, simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the chickpeas stand to cook in the steam.
5. Once all the steam escapes, carefully open the cooker, remove the tea bag, drain the excessive water and keep aside, don’t discard it.
6. Puree the tomatoes and one green chili together, transfer into another bowl and keep aside.
7. Heat 1-1/2 tablespoon oil in a deep frying pan, add cumin seeds and let them start to crackle.
8. Add grated ginger to it, stir and sauté for a minute then add the freshly pureed tomatoes; cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring occasionally.
9. Add spices and salt to taste, stir to mix and cook for another couple of minutes on slow heat.
10. Now add the drained cooked chickpeas in it. Stir to mix well and cook for two more minutes.
11. Pour the water drained from the cooked chhole earlier back into the pan.
12. Stir and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes while stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and keep aside.
13. Place a clean deep frying pan or wok over medium heat and pour in enough cooking oil for deep frying.
14. Knead the dough once again for a minute on lightly greased surface. Take small portions of it and roll into small balls of dough.
15. Roll the dough balls into a small circle or oval on a lightly greased surface with a rolling pin.
16. Once the oil is hot, carefully slide the rolled out circle in the oil by the side of the pan, gently press it to remain dipped in hot oil so as to let it puff. Deep fry from both the sides till it becomes very lightly brown. Take care while flipping the bhatura in the hot oil.
17. Bring out the bhatura with the help of a big slotted spoon or flat slotted spatula and place on a dish lined with paper towel so as to remove extra oil.
18. Transfer the chhole into a serving dish; garnish with chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) and tomatoes slices. Serve hot with pickle and onion salad.

Preparation Time: 1 hour

Serves: 2 – 3

Cook’s Tip:

Knead the bhatura dough in lukewarm water for better results. Knead it soft so that it gets space to expand.