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Vegetarian

Chole bhature

Chole bhature is a Punjabi dish made of a spiced chickpea curry served with bhature, fried breads that puff up like balloons. For 4 people, it takes 1 hour 15 minutes, rated medium difficulty, at about €2 per serving. The key to success is letting the dough rest long enough and frying it in very hot oil.

Tonight Punjab is coming to your kitchen with chole bhature, a well spiced chickpea curry and fried breads puffed up like balloons.

Chole bhature
Total time
1 h 15
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.00
Calories per person
790 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Chole bhature pairs a deep brown chickpea curry, seasoned with cumin, coriander and garam masala, with light, puffed fried bread. A bag of black tea steeped into the curry gives it that dark color and a faint smoky note, without ever covering the spices. The textures play off each other, the curry stays soft while the bread turns crisp outside and pillowy inside.

This is a dish for a weekend or any day you have a bit of time ahead of you, not really a rushed weeknight meal. It involves deep frying and a dough that needs to rest, so it helps to plan ahead. It works well for friends around a generous, different kind of meal, though kids might find the chili a bit much.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Canned chickpeas 2 can
  • Black tea bagoften in the pantry 1
  • Flouroften in the pantry 400 g
  • Baking powderoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Vegetable oiloften in the pantry 30 cl
  • Ground cuminoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Ground corianderoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Garam masalaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Turmericoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 tsp

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 2
  • Tomatoes 4
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Fresh ginger 1 tbsp
  • Green chili 1
  • Cilantro 6 sprigs

Dairy

  • Plain yogurt 15 cl

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Mix the flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, the yogurt and 3 tablespoons of oil, add a little water and knead a soft dough, then let it rest under a damp cloth. 1 h

    The dough should be soft and a bit sticky, not firm like bread dough.

  2. Cook the chopped onions in 3 tablespoons of oil, add the chopped garlic, ginger and chili, then the diced tomatoes. 15 min

    Let the onion brown well, that's what gives the curry its color and depth.

  3. Add the spices, the drained chickpeas, the tea bag and 25 cl of water, season with salt and let it simmer. 20 min

    The tea turns the curry a deep brown, just like in Punjabi roadside dhabas, remove the tea bag before serving.

  4. Divide the dough into 8 balls, roll each one into an oval and fry them one at a time in very hot oil. 12 min

    Press down gently on the dough with a slotted spoon, it will puff up all at once.

  5. Drain the bhature and serve them with the chole topped with cilantro and raw onion.

    Eat them hot, they deflate as they cool.

Our tips to get it right

  • Drain the chickpeas well before adding them, otherwise the curry turns too watery and takes longer to thicken.
  • Test the oil temperature with a small piece of dough, if it rises to the surface right away and sizzles, the oil is ready.
  • Mince the garlic, ginger and chili finely so they melt into the sauce instead of staying in noticeable chunks.

The variations

  • Swap the green chili for half a teaspoon of chili powder if that's what you have, the flavor stays close.
  • For a quicker version, cook the bhature in a pan like naan instead of frying them, you'll lose the puff but save time.
  • For kids, cut the chili in half and serve the curry separate from the bread so they can dip at their own pace.

What to serve it with

  • Sliced raw onion and lime
  • Plain basmati rice
  • Plain lassi or spiced tea

Storage

The chickpea curry keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container and freezes well for up to 2 months. The bhature are best eaten the same day, they deflate as they cool and don't freeze well. Reheat the curry gently, adding a splash of water if it's thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Why didn't my bhature puff up when frying?

Usually the oil wasn't hot enough or the dough didn't rest long enough. The oil needs to be very hot to create the steam that pushes the dough up instantly.

Can you make the chickpea curry ahead of time?

Yes, chole actually tastes better reheated the next day since the spices have more time to settle in. Make the curry the day before and keep it in the fridge in a sealed container.

Can you skip the black tea bag in the curry?

The tea bag is mainly there to darken the curry's color, you can leave it out without really changing the flavor. The dish will just look a bit lighter.

Can you bake the bhature instead of frying them?

Frying is what makes the dough puff up like a balloon, baking will give you a flatter, less fluffy result. If you want to skip frying, cook them in a pan like naan instead.

How long does it take to make a chole bhature?

Count 1 h 15 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a chole bhature?

About 790 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chole bhature cost?

About €2.00 per serving, or €8.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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