Enjoy a taste of India at home with a popular dish, Punjabi Chole Bhature, which is actually two comfort food items commonly enjoyed together. Guest writer, Shristi Panti, gives us some background on the combination, including how it’s usually served and enjoyed. Then, she shares her own recipes for Chole (a spiced chickpea dish) and Bhatures (puffed bread) so we can try it ourselves. 

The first time I had Chole Bhature was on my trip to New Delhi. Barely 5-years-old, I was cuddled in my mother’s lap watching the beautiful Chole with two huge Bhatures kept on the table. I remember watching in amazement as people oohed and aahed with every bite.

We had gone to New Delhi’s famous restaurant, Sitaram Diwan Chand (personally, I think they’re the best in India). Usually served with a tall glass of Lassi, they make for a filling meal. I still visit the restaurant every time I’m in Delhi because of their authentic taste. During my last visit, I couldn’t help myself and asked the owner to tell me the secret to this tempting dish. I was told that the spices and chickpeas need to be simmered together for hours to infuse the taste.

However, I understand this isn’t practical for everyone today. Which is why I’ve developed a recipe that’s easy to make but equally delicious (if not more)! The addition of tea leaves is essential to give the chole a rich dark brown color. I recommend using an iron pot to cook this dish. You can eat chole with piping hot Tikkis, Kulche, Bhature or even Naan. In fact, if you’re in a rush, just reheat the leftover chole and add it on a slice of bread.

Bhatures are spongy yet crisp. They taste heavenly when dipped in spicy chole and eaten together with sliced onions, Tangy Mango pickle, and some Lassi to wash it all down. Traditionally, they were made using leavening agents such as curds and soda and had to be left for hours to ferment. Then, they were rolled out using a rolling pin and deep-fried until golden and crisp. To soften my bhature, I’ve added mashed potatoes to them. This also means you never have to worry about them turning chewy or rubbery when served cold!

You can serve bhature with a range of different vegetables such as Kathal ki Sabzi, Sarson ka Saag, Aloo Mutter ki Sabzi and Shalgam ki Sabzi. The recipe requires regular Indian spices. I’ve ensured that all of the mentioned spices are easily available on Amazon.

Hungry for more? Here’s a recipe for Mujadarra, lentils and rice.

Traditional Punjabi Chole Bhature Recipe

Recipes developed by Shristi Patni

Serves 4

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Total time required: 60 minutes

Chole Ingredients:

Salt, to taste
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp dried mango powder
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp chole masala
2 tsp garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp ginger, finely chopped
½ cup onion, finely chopped
1 tsp tea leaves (or a teabag)
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 TBS oil
1 cup white chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained
A small muslin cloth
Green chilies, slit lengthwise (to garnish)
Green coriander leaves (to garnish)

Method:

1. Add the tea leaves to the muslin cloth. Secure it with a tight knot.
2. In a pressure cooker, add tea leaves in the cloth, salt, white chickpeas and enough water to cook for 3 whistles.
3. Let the steam escape before opening the cooker. Remove and discard the tea leaves. Drain the chickpeas and keep aside.
4. In a deep non-stick pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds on medium flame.
5. Add garlic, ginger and onion and saute for 1-2 minutes on medium flame. Once the onions turn translucent, add 1 cup of water.
6. Add salt, cumin seeds powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, dried mango powder, chili powder and chole masala. Mix and cook for 2 minutes on medium flame.
7. Stir the chole and continue to cook for 6-7 minutes over medium flame. Lightly mash the chickpeas using the back of the spoon or a masher. Remove and keep aside. Garnish with green chilies and coriander leaves before serving.

Bhature Ingredients:

Oil, to deep-fry
Salt, to taste
½ TBS oil
2 ½ TBS plain yoghurt
½ cup potatoes, boiled, peeled and grated
1 cup plain flour

Method:

1. Combine together salt, oil, yoghurt, potatoes and flour. Use warm water to knead a soft dough.
2. Cover the dough using a damp muslin cloth and keep aside for 20 minutes.
3. Stretch and roll the dough a few times before dividing it into 8 equal portions.
4. Dust the surface with a little flour. Use a rolling pin to roll out the portions into 6” (150 mm) diameter circles. Use more flour if required.
5. Heat oil in a deep non-stick pan. Deep-fry one bhatura at a time. Use a frying spoon to gently press the center of the bhatura to puff it up. Continue to fry till it turns golden brown on both the sides.

To serve with chole bhature, you’ll need:

2 lemon wedges
6-8 slices of freshly cut onions

Directions for serving:

Serve hot chole and bhature immediately. Garnish with a lemon wedge and onion slices. Alternatively, you can squeeze lemon juice on onion slices and sprinkle a little Chaat Masala.

Any tangy Achaar such as Mango or Mixed pickle goes well with chole bhature.

— Story by Shristi Patni, content writer and owner of F and B Recipes. She writes guest posts on food and mental health.

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