CHHOLE BHATURE

CHICKPEAS/GARBANZO BEANS CURRY WITH FRIED, PUFFY NAAN)

This is a popular punjabi dish which is famous throughout India because of its awesome taste. The combination of chick peas curry with these fried, puffed bhatura has no match. The curry and bhatura together with some salad is a full lunch or supper meal.

In Delhi and Punjab there are many roadside restaurants specialised in selling only chhole bhature. People come from distant places to eat at these restaurants, those who are famous for their quality and good service. These restaurants are always full of people.

I remember when I was in Botswana, once in the Hindu temple we offered these chhole bhature to the big gathering of around 150 people. At that time my family was sponsoring that night's dinner, all my friend helped me in cooking.

In the temple kitchen, all facilities are there to cook meals for big gatherings. For making chhole bhature, we had prepared the dough in a big machine, then 2-3 ladies were making the balls, 6-7 ladies were rolling the bhatures. In two big works, on the commercial gas cooker, two ladies were frying and men were helping us in serving the bhature to the guest outside in a big open-air yard, where tables were set for the people to serve the food. They came out nice and everybody enjoyed the meal.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

FOR CHHOLE (CHICKPEAS)

• ½ kg dry chick peas
• one big onion (200 grams)
• one big tomato (200 grams)
• a big piece of ginger
• 2 tbs tomato puree
• salt and chilli powder to taste
• 1 tbs coriander powder
• 1tbs mango powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 black cardamom
• 2 tbs oil

FOR BHATURE (FRIED PUFFY NAAN)

• ½ kg all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ cup plain yoghurt
• 1tbs oil
• some water to make thee dough
• oil for frying.
  
  

METHOD FOR CHHOLE (CHICKPEAS CURRY)

• Wash and soak chickpeas overnight in water, they will increase the size in the morning.
• Boil chickpeas with salt in a pressure cooker for 10-12 minutes after the whistle.
• Finely chop onion, ginger and tomato.
• Heat oil in a frying pan, add cumin seeds, leave for few seconds to change the colour.
• Add ginger and onion and roast till light brown, add tomatoes and other dry spices when tomatoes are done add tomato puree and a half cup of water, mix well.
• Add this mixture in chickpeas and boil again for 5-7 minutes.

FOR BHATURE (FRIED PUFFY NAAN)

• Mix baking powder and yoghurt in the flour and make hard dough with little water, leave it to ferment for 7-8 hours.
• Once fermented divide the dough in 20 parts and make small balls and flatten them on your palms.
• Heat oil in a wok on high flame.
• Roll into a round shape of the desired size and fry them when the oil is really hot, till light brown in colour.
• Serve with chhole and some salad of your choice.

This can be served to 5-6 people.

I am sending this recipe as my blog post entry for Foodie friday event, and with Hearth and Soul. and with Meatless Momday, and with Creative monday blog hop, and with what'd you do this weekend, and with Tasty Tuesday creative kids, and with delicious dish tuesday, and with Friday Free For All, and with credit crunch munch, and with Funtastic Friday.