Illustrative stock photos, not this exact recipe. Photo credits are at the bottom of the page.
Ingredients in this recipe
Tap any ingredient to read its history, origin and where it is used.
Chole bhature is a Delhi favorite, eaten for breakfast, lunch and as a street snack. Chole is a dark, tangy chickpea curry cooked with onion, tomato, ginger and a special spice mix. Bhature are large, soft breads made from a yogurt-enriched dough and deep-fried until they puff. Delhi’s food is often described as a mix of Mughal-era meat dishes, Punjabi home cooking and a famous street-food culture of chaat, fried breads and sweets. Read more in Indian regional cuisines.
It is usually served with sliced onion, pickled chilies and lemon.
Recipe label: Based on traditional technique. Photo: illustrative stock photo, not the finished dish from this exact recipe. Regional recipes vary by family and village.
Photo credits: Photo 1: Yogendra Singh on Pexels; Photo 2: Muhammad Khawar Nazir on Pexels; Photo 3: Sabyasachi Das on Pexels. Free stock photos, used under the Unsplash or Pexels license and shown here as illustrations only.
Chole Bhature (Spiced Chickpea Curry with Fried Bread)
Description
Chole bhature: a spicy chickpea curry served with soft, puffed deep-fried bread. One of Delhi's best-loved street food and breakfast dishes.Ingredients
For the chole
For the bhature
Instructions
-
Soak the chickpeas overnight. Drain and pressure cook with salt and fresh water for 5 to 6 whistles (about 25 minutes), or simmer until completely soft. Keep the cooking liquid.
-
For the bhature dough, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add the yogurt, 1 tbsp oil and enough warm water to knead a soft, smooth dough. Cover and rest for at least 2 hours.
-
For the chole, heat 2 tbsp oil in a pot, cook the onions until deep golden, about 10 minutes. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook 1 minute.
-
Add the tomato puree and the powdered spices. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the oil separates.
-
Add the chickpeas with about 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Simmer for 15 minutes, mashing a few chickpeas to thicken. Adjust salt and garnish with coriander.
-
Divide the bhatura dough into 8 balls. Roll each into a 12 cm / 5 in oval, about 3 mm thick.
-
Heat the frying oil to 180 C / 350 F. Carefully slide in a bhatura and press it gently under the oil with a slotted spoon until it puffs, 30 to 40 seconds. Flip, fry until golden and drain on paper towels. Be careful with hot oil.
-
Serve the hot bhature with chole, sliced onions and lemon.
