Chole Bhatura is a savory breakfast recipe for Diwali. This dish starts with masala made from a bevy of toasted and ground spices: red chili, coriander, cumin, green and black cardamom, bay leaf, cloves, fennel, star anise, black peppercorn, amchur, cinnamon, and turmeric. Sautéed onions, ginger, garlic, green chili, and tomatoes round out the chickpea stew, served with bhatura, a puffy fried bread made from all-purpose flour “with a little semolina added for crispiness,” says Veda Sankaran.
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Diwali Chole Bhatura
Description
An authentic Indian breakfast.
Ingredients
Scale
For the masala:
- 6 red chilis
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 2 black cardamom pod
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 1 large bay leaf
- 4 cloves
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 small star anise
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 2 ½-inch piece cinnamon
- 6 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp amchur powder
For the chole:
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 green chilies sliced vertically
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
- 1 tbsp ground masala
- 1–14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1–15.5 oz can chickpeas
- 1 cup water
- Salt to taste
- 2 tsp ghee
For the bhatura:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp fine semolina
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp suga
- 2 tbsp oil
- 4 tbsp room-temperature milk
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
Instructions
For the masala:
- Dry-roast all the spices except the coriander powder, turmeric and amchur powder.
- After cooling and finely grinding the spices, stir in the coriander, turmeric, and amchur powders. There will be enough masala to make the chole at least 3 times.
- Store in an airtight container.
For the chole:
- Heat a pan and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Once heated, place in the split green chilies, followed by a little of the chopped onions, the ginger, and garlic. Stir and then add the remaining chopped onions with a little salt.
- Cook, stirring occasionally until onions become lightly golden, approximately 4-5 minutes on medium heat. At this stage, add the tablespoon of the ground masala. Stir and within 30 seconds or so, add the chopped tomatoes. Use the side of your spoon to crush the tomatoes.
- Cook until tomatoes darken in color and raw masala smell goes away, continuing to crush the tomatoes with your spoon. After 10-12 minutes, place in the chickpeas with 1 cup of water, stir and cover. Lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, occasionally uncovering to stir and smoosh some of the chickpeas. Place in the ghee at the end before removing from the heat, serve with bhatura or chapatis.
For the bhatura:
- Add all dry ingredients into a large-mouthed, shallow bowl.
- Stir together using your fingers or a fork. Then, pour in the oil, using your fingers to incorporate.
- Next, pour the milk in a little at a time to bring the mixture together. Place in the yogurt by the spoonful, working it into the flour between each spoonful to form a dough ball.
- Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth. Use the heels of your hands to roll and knead. The dough should not be too dry or too sticky.
- Cover with a damp paper towel or cloth and place in a warm place for at least an hour or up to 3 hours.
- Divide the dough into 8-10 balls depending on what size you want the bhatura to be, cover again, and let sit for 10 more minutes.
- When ready to prepare, roll into circles that are not too thick. Don’t roll too many at the same time as the dough will dry out.
- Heat oil and place one of the rolled-out dough circles in the oil, spooning the hot oil over it. Use your spoon to lightly press on the dough as this will help the bhatura to puff up. Flip the bhatura over once to evenly cook the other side.
- Remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain off any excess oil. Serve immediately.
Notes
To reduce the spiciness, simply reduce the number of red chilis in the masala and reduce or omit the green chili.
Recipes and Styling by Veda Sankaran
Photography by Dave Bryce
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