Delicious north Indian Chole bhature

Learn to make a perfect street style chole bhature recipe with step by step instructions and video. Chole Bhature is a delicious North Indian dish that consists of spicy chickpea curry (Chole) served with deep-fried bread (Bhature). It's a popular choice for Indian breakfast menu or brunch.

Chole bhature is a popular and everyone's favourite dish. Hugely popular in Northern parts of India, particularly in Delhi.

Chole bhature is a versatile dish generally served at breakfast or brunch. Punjabi chole bhature is yummy, delicious and extremely easy to make. If you have been looking for such chole bhature recipe which is like street style then you have come to the right place. Here I bring you the step by step guide on how to make chole bhature recipe at home.

What is chole bhature?

Chole bhature is a combination of two dish. Chole a spiced chickpeas curry and bhature, a deep fried soft, crisp and puffy bread.

Overnight soaked chana is boiled and cooked in a spiced tomato onion based gravy with spices. Kabuli chana is the preferred choice of chana for this recipe. On the other hand bhature is made with refined flour (maida). Curd and baking soda is used as a  leavening agents. 

In chole bhature, the chana should be in melt in mouth texture. So soak them overnight and use baking soda while boiling them. And it should be dark brown in colour. That's why use tea powder at the time of boiling the chana. I personally prefer to use tea powder instead of tea bags. Tea powder gives my chole the perfect brown color. And I use to boil them under slow cooking rather than pressure cooking.

If you want to know more about Parsley and it's benefits then here is a article for you Parsley in Hindi.

Who invented chole bhature?

There is no specific inventor or origin story for Chole Bhature but it has become an iconic and cherished dish in North India and beyond. This dish is enjoyed by people of all backgrounds, rich, poor, old or young crowds. It continues to be a staple in Indian restaurants and households, with various regional twists and personal adaptations to the recipe. 

Chole Bhature is likely developed over the generations in North India, with different communities and regions contributing to its variations and flavors. 

Delhi is popular for this unique chole bhature served at Sita Ram Diwan Chand at Paharganj. Sita Ram chole bhature is famous for its melt in mouth texture with mildly spiced.

Ingredients required to make the recipe 

• Chana : preferably take small size chana also known as Kabuli chana for this recipe. 
• Tea powder : 2 bags  good quality tea powder
• Masala powder : red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, Amchur powder, crushed Fenugreek leave and chole masala with anardana. If anardana is not present in chole masala then  take it seperately.
• Whole spices : bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon stick and cloves.
• Onion : one medium size finely chopped
• Tomato : 3 to 4 pureed
• Herbs : ginger, garlic green chili and coriander leaves
• Other ingredients : baking soda, ghee salt and cooking oil.

For the bhature

• Maida : fine quality maida( flour) yields best bhature.
• Rawa : use suji rawa (rava) not idli rava
• Curd :  good quality less sour curd
• Other ingredients : salt and cooking oil. Baking soda is optional. I have not used it to make bhature.

Time taken to make the recipe 

Total time taken to make chole bhature is under 40 minutes. Which includes twenty five minutes of preparation time and 15 minutes of cooking time. This excludes the 7 to 8 hours of soaking time for the chickpeas.

What to serve with  chole bhature 

Always serve the dish with hot bhature. The popular combination to serve chole bhature are as follows:

• Pickles : Mango pickle or lemon pickle provide a tangy and spicy contrast to the richness of chole bhature.
• Onions : Onions are a classic accomplishment, add refreshing crunch and mild onion flavour to each bite.
• Yogurt (curd/raita) : A plain yogurt or yogurt based raita can balanced the spiciness of the chole and provide a cooling touch to the meal.
• Green chillies : Those who love to kick up extra heat, chopped chilli can be served on the side of the dish.
• Lemon wedges: Squeezing a lemon wedge over the chole bhature just before eating can add a zesty and citrusy touch.
• Chutney: Tamarind chutney or mint chutney can be served as condiments to add sweetness or spiciness. 

Chole bhature is generally served in breakfast and  popular as a evening snacks as well.

Steps to make the recipe

1. Boiling the chole ( chana)

First soak 2 cup chana with enough water for overnight.  

Thereafter drain and wash them for 2 to 3 times. Now add them in a pressure cooker or in a deep vessel pan with some salt, two tea bags and 1/3 teaspoon baking soda.

Add 3 cup water in the cooker and close the cooker with a lid..Cook over medium high heat flame for 5 to 6 whistle. Let the pressure goes naturally. Therefore open the lid of the cooker and discard the tea bags.

Similarly if you are using a pan or kadai to boil the chole then add 4 to 5 cup water with salt, tea bags and baking soda. Cook them for 20 to 25 minutes or till the chole become soft and we'll cooked.

In place of tea bags you can use regular tea powder by making a potli with a muslin cloth. 

Or just boil 1 tablespoon tea powder for 1 minute. Stain and discard the powder. Pour the water with che chana and boil. 

2. Kneading the bhature dough

Take around one and a half cup maida in a mixing bowl. Add some salt, 2 tablespoon suji tawa, one tablespoon cooking oil and 2 tablespoon curd. 

Give everything a good mix. Then pour water slowly and start to knead. Add water as required to make a soft dough like chapati. Just make sure the dough is not sticky. You can add some more flour if it become sticky and knead further.

Grease some more oil on the dough and cover. Rest the dough for 15 minutes to set.

 You can add some baking soda in the dough but that is optional. 

3. Making the chole

Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a pan or kadai over medium heat flame. When the oil become hot lower the flame to low and add the whole spices bay leaf, cardamom, cinamon stick and cloves. 

Fry them for a while then add the chopped onions and fry till the onion become light brown. Then add ginger garlic paste and fry further till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes. Keep the heat flame medium low at this point.

Now pour the tomato puree and cook till oil strat to separate. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, chole masala powder and Amchur powder. 

Cook the masala for around 30 seconds and then pour one water.

Simmer then for one more minute. Therefore add the boiled chana and mix well. Add salt as per taste and some chopped coriander leaves. 

Cook the chole for 2 more minutes. When the gravy become thick and attain the required consistency, sprinkle some crushed Fenugreek leave over the chole.  

Switch off the gas flame and remove the pan.

4. Tempering ( tadka) over chole

Heat 1 tablespoon ghee or oil in a tadka pan or spoon. When the ghee become hot add slits green chilies and julienne ginger. Fry for 30 seconds then add 1/3 teaspoon red chilli powder. Mix and pour this tadka over the chole.

5. Making bhature

Heat oil in a kadai or deep vessel pan over medium heat flame. When the oil become hot lower the flame to low. It is very important to fry the bhature under hot oil for the puffy texture.

Divide the dough into small parts and roll them between the palm of hands to make round shape balls. Grease some oil over the dough ball from all sides.

Take one dough ball and start to roll with a roller pin. Make a round shape circle like roti. While rolling the dough ball apply some more oil if required for smooth rolling. 

Now slowly and carefully add the rolled bhature into the hot oil. 

And immediately dip the bhature with a kitchen skimmer or jhara under the oil.

The bhature start to puff and rise over the oil. Flip it to other side and press gently with the help of skimmer. 

Sprinkle some hot oil over the bhature with the help of the skimmer to make it more golden brown.

When both sides become golden brown remove the bhature on a kitchen towel or paper.

Similarly make more bhature with the rest of the dough balls. Serve them hot with the chole.

Tips to follow for making perfect chole bhature

• To achieve perfectly tender chole, soak them overnight or atleast 7-8 hours. This also helps reducing the cooking time and ensures even cooking.
• Use freshly ground spices like coriander powder, cumin seeds and garam masala. These will elevate the flavours of the chole.
• Always use suji rawa in bhature dough as it help to maintain the puffy and fluffy texture of the bhature.
• Keep the temperature of the oil hot while frying the bhature. Medium high heat temperature oil is necessary to make a puffy bhature.
• While frying the bhature keep it under the hot oil with the help of a skimmer till it puff up.
• After flipping it to another side, splash some hot oil with a skimmer to make it golden brown.
• Don't forget to use curd to increase and  enhance the taste of the bhature.

If you love the recipe of chole bhature I am sure you would love the following recipes as well.

• Dal pakwan
• Onion Uttapam
• Medu vada recipe
• Paneer paratha 
• Gobi paratha
• Methi paratha

Chole bhature recipe

Prep time 25 min Cook time 15 min serve 3

Author Mobasir hassan

Ingredients

For chole

• 2 cup chole (chana)
• 2 tea bags
• 1 medium size onion chopped
• 3 medium size tomato pureed
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Amchur powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chole masala powder
• 1 /2 teaspoon crushed Fenugreek leave
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cardamom
• 2 - 3 cloves
• 1/2 inch cinnamon stick
• Salt as per taste
• 2 tablespoon cooking oil
• Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Soak the chana with enough water for 5 to 6 hours or overnight.
2. Thereafter drain and wash the chana for 2 to 3 times and add them in a pressure cooker or deep vessel pan like kadai. 
3. Add 3 to 4  cup water, salt, baking soda and 2 tea bags. You can even make a potli with tea powder and place in the cooker.
4. Close the cooker and boil the chole under medium high heat flame for 5 to 6 whistle. Let the pressure goes naturally from the cooker. 
5. Open the lid of the cooker and discard the tea bags or potli.
6. Take the maida in a mixing bowl and add the salt, suji rawa, curd and oil. Mix them nicely. 
7. Pour water slowly and start to knead everything into a soft palpable dough. Make sure the dough is not sticky. You can add some more flour if it become sticky.
8. Grease some oil and cover the dough to set for 15 minutes.
9. Heat a pan or kadai with oil over medium heat flame. When the oil become hot lower the flame to low and add the whole spices. Fry them for a while.
10. Add chopped onions and fry till become light brown. Therefore add ginger garlic paste and cook until the raw smell of ginger garlic paste goes off.
11. Next add the tomato puree and cook until oil start to separates. Then add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chole masala powder, Amchur powder. Cook them for 30 seconds. Keep the heat flame low at this stage.
12. Pour one cup water and simmer for one minute. Then add the boiled chole.
13. Add salt as per your taste and cook the chole till the the gravy become thick and attain the required consistency. Sprinkle some crushed Fenugreek leave over the chole and mix gently.
14. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a tadka pan or spoon and fry the ginger, green chillies and red chilli powder for 30 seconds. Pour this tadka over the chole and remove.
15. Now heat oil in a kadai over medium heat flame. 
16. Take the bhature dough and divide into small parts. Roll them between the palm of hands to make round shape dough balls.
17. Take a dough ball and start to roll with a roller pin into a round circular shape. Grease some oil while rolling the dough ball.
18. Carefully place the rolled bhature into the hot oil and fry till become golden brown and puffy.
19. While frying keep the bhature under the oil with the help of a skimmer so that the bhature become puffy.
20. Remove in a kitchen towel or napkin and serve hot with chole.

                                 Video

Chole bhature recipe video

                              Nutritional value

                              ( serving size 2 bhature)

• Calorie : 522
• Fats : 19 g
• Protein : 15 g
• Carbohydrate : 72 g

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