Chole Bhature
Dark tea-stained chickpeas with puffed fried bread.
About this dish
The ultimate Delhi breakfast and street food staple, Chole Bhature is a marriage of spicy, tangy chickpeas and fermented fried bread. The Delhi version is distinct for its dark, almost black 'chole', achieved by steeping the chickpeas with dried amla or tea bags. It is a heavy, celebratory meal typically enjoyed on Sunday mornings.
Ingredients
The Chickpeas (Chole)
- 250g Kabuli Chana (Chickpeas), soaked 8 hours
- 2 Tea bags or 3 pieces Dried Amla
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 2 Black cardamoms
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
The Chole Masala
- 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 2 Onions, finely minced
- 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
- 2 Tomatoes, pureed
- 2 tbsp Chole Masala powder
- 1 tsp Dry mango powder (Amchur)
- 1 tsp Roasted cumin powder
- 2 Green chilies, slit
The Bhature (Bread)
- 250g All-purpose flour (Maida)
- 2 tbsp Semolina (Sooji)
- 1/2 cup Plain yogurt
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- Oil for deep frying
Method
- 1
Pressure Cooking Chana
Place soaked chickpeas in a pressure cooker with the tea bags, cinnamon, black cardamom, salt, and baking soda. Add water 2 inches above the level of chickpeas. Cook for 5-6 whistles until soft but not mushy; the baking soda helps achieve a buttery texture while the tea provides the dark hue.
- 2
Preparing Bhatura Dough
Mix flour, sooji, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add yogurt and knead into a soft, smooth dough using warm water. The sooji provides the necessary 'crisp' to the fried bread. Cover with a damp cloth and ferment in a warm spot for at least 2 hours.
- 3
The Onion Base
Heat oil in a heavy kadhai. Add the minced onions and sauté on medium heat for 12-15 minutes. You want a deep caramel brown, not just translucent; this provides the base flavor for the dark gravy.
- 4
Sautéing Aromatics
Add ginger-garlic paste and slit chilies. Cook for 2 minutes until the raw aroma dissipates. Stir in the tomato puree and cook until the oil starts to separate from the sides of the masala.
- 5
Spicing the Gravy
Add the chole masala powder, cumin powder, and amchur. Amchur is critical for that signature 'chatpata' (tangy) Delhi street taste. Splash a little chickpea water to prevent the spices from burning.
- 6
Combining and Simmering
Discard the tea bags from the chickpeas and add the cooked chana to the masala along with its dark liquid. Mash a handful of chickpeas with a spoon to thicken the gravy. Simmer for 15 minutes on low heat until the flavors penetrate the core of the beans.
- 7
The Final Tadka
For the finishing touch, heat a tablespoon of ghee, add ginger juliennes and a pinch of Kashmiri chili powder, and pour it over the chole. This adds a fresh ginger aroma and a glossy red tint to the surface.
- 8
Rolling the Bhature
Divide the fermented dough into lemon-sized balls. Grease your palms and the rolling pin with oil (avoid using dry flour). Roll into 6-inch ovals; the dough will be elastic and springy.
- 9
The Flash Fry
Heat oil in a deep kadhai until it is shimmering and slightly smoking. Slide the bhatura in; it should sink and then immediately puff up like a balloon. Gently press with a slotted spoon to ensure even expansion, flip, and fry for 30 seconds until pale golden.
Notes & variations
- If you don't have tea bags, use a small piece of muslin cloth tied with 1 tsp of tea leaves.
- The oil for bhature must be very hot; if it's cool, the bread will absorb oil and fail to puff.
- Adding boiled potato mash to the bhatura dough makes them softer and stay puffed longer.
- Leftover chole can be dried up and used as a filling for parathas.
Serve with
Pickled green chilies, sliced onions, and a cold glass of sweet Lassi.
Cook's note
Always allow the bhatura dough to rest; if it keeps shrinking back when rolled, it hasn't rested enough.