Description
Chole bhature is the Punjabi street food combination of spicy, tangy chickpea curry paired with puffy fried bread that balloons up in hot oil. It is indulgent, filling, and one of the most satisfying meals in the Indian repertoire. This simplified version uses canned chickpeas and a quick yeasted dough to get you to the same place without an overnight soak or a complicated fermentation.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 medium tomatoes, pureed
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 teaspoon amchur powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying
- 1/2 cup warm water
Instructions
- Make the bhature dough: combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add the yogurt, 2 tablespoons oil, and warm water. Knead into a soft, smooth dough, about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest 1 hour.
- While the dough rests, make the chole. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion 8 minutes until golden. Add garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute.
- Add the pureed tomatoes and cook 8 minutes until thick and the oil separates. Stir in the coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, amchur, and salt. Cook 1 minute.
- Add the chickpeas and water. Simmer 20 minutes, mashing some chickpeas against the side of the pot to thicken the gravy.
- Divide the dough into 8 balls. Roll each into an oval about 6 inches long and 1/4-inch thick.
- Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep pot to 375°F. Fry each bhatura one at a time, spooning hot oil over the top to encourage puffing, until golden on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes total. Drain on paper towels.
- Serve the chole in bowls with hot bhature on the side, with pickled onions and green chutney.
Notes
- Spooning hot oil over the top of the bhatura as it fries is what makes it puff up into a dramatic balloon.
- The chole should be thick and coating — not watery. If it is too thin, simmer uncovered until it reaches a stewlike consistency.
- The bhature dough benefits from resting. It makes the dough more pliable and easier to roll, and the finished bread will be softer.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 22
- Carbohydrates: 68
- Fiber: 10
- Protein: 16
- Cholesterol: 5