Chole Bhatura / Deep Fried Indian Puffed Bread with Chickpeas Curry

Bhatura, also spelled as Batura or Bhatoora is a very famous deep fried puffed bread common in North India. It is usually served with Chole or Chickpeas Curry or with any Chicken curry. There are numerous recipes for chole and bhatura around the net… Some used to make Bhatura with yeast and some with baking powder… This is how my mom used to make Bhatura and Chickpeas Curry at home… and I followed this recipe all these years and it always comes out perfect….

Bhatura (Batura / Bhatoora) / Deep Fried Indian Puffed Bread

Ingredients:
All purpose flour/ Maida-250gm
Baking Powder-1/2 tsp
Baking Soda- ¼ tsp
Yogurt- ¼ cup
Sugar-1 ½ tsp
Sat – to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:

• In a bowl mix everything and make a smooth dough adding little water. Cover with a damp cloth, set aside and allow the dough rest for 4 hours.
• Knead the dough again and make even sized balls and roll into thick round or oval shape.
• Heat oil in a pan for deep frying on medium high heat, put bhatura’s one by one, pressing down slightly with the back of a ladle so that they puff up into balls.
• Fry both sides to a golden brown colour and drain on a kitchen tissue to absorb excess oil.
• Serve hot with chole or any non veg curries of your choice.

Chole (Channa) Masala / Kadala Curry / Chickpeas Curry
Ingredients:
1~ Chole/ Kadala / Dry Chickpeas -1/2 cup
2~ Ghee/ Vegetable oil-3 tbsp
Onion-1/2 cup, finely sliced
3~ Cardamom-3 nos
Cinnamon- 2 sticks of 1”piece
Ginger paste-1 tsp
Garlic paste-1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder / Mallipodi-1 tbsp
Red chilly powder-1 tsp
Freshly grated coconut-3tbsp
Cashewnuts-6nos
Raisins-1 tbsp
4~Tomato -1/4 cup, finely chopped
5~Green chillies-3, slit lengthwise
6~Yoghurt-1/4 cup (not very sour)
Lime juice-1/2 tsp
7~Coriander leaves-2 tbsp, chopped
Mint Leaves- 1 tbsp, chopped

Method:

• Wash and soak chickpeas over night in water.
• Grind number 3 ingredients together (ie cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilly powder, grated coconut, cashew nuts and raisins) to a fine paste and keep aside.
• Heat ghee or vegetable oil in a pressure cooker and sauté sliced onion until golden.
• Add the ground paste to the onion and sauté well till the raw smell goes.
• Add tomato pieces and sauté till oil starts leaving the sides of the pan.
• Drain water from the soaked chick peas and add it to the sautéed mixture and mix well.
• Add enough boiling water, close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 20 minutes after the first whistle.
• Let the pressure go down on its own, open the lid and add slit green chillies, yoghurt and lime juice and simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Finally sprinkle with coriander leaves and mint leaves and serve hot with Batura / Poori / Idiyappam / Palappam / Puttu / Chapathi