Chana Bhatura or Chole Bhature
A delicious restaurant-style or dhaba-style north Indian dish of chickpeas in a delicious red sauce of onions and tomato with a puffy, flaky bread, Chole Bhatura or Chana Bhatura is easy enough to make at home. A spicy chole masala sauce is served with a puffy Indian bread called a Bhatura. Vegan, nut-free and soy-free, and everything but the bhature is gluten-free.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 208kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 5 green cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- ½- inch piece of cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 large red onion (finely diced)
- 2 heaping tsp ginger garlic paste
- 3 medium tomatoes (finely chopped)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne (or any powdered red chili pepper)
- 4 cups chickpeas (use canned or cook them yourself. If you cook them, make sure they are very tender)
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon chana masala spice mix
- Juice of 1 lemon or lime
- Coriander or cilantro for garnish (optional)
For bhatura:
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour (or a blend of all purpose and whole wheat flour)
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
- ½ cup vegan yogurt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt to taste
- Vegetable oil for deep frying¼
Instructions
Make the bhatura dough:
- Place all the ingredients except the water in a food processor, bowl of a stand mixer, or, if kneading by hand, in a large bowl. Drizzle in the water and knead until you have an elastic but firm dough. Place in an airtight container and set it aside while you make the chana masala.
Make the chana masala:
- Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the whole spices -- the bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Finally add the cumin and stir to mix. When the cumin sizzles, add the onions with some salt and cook until the onions turn golden-brown.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for a minute.
- Add the cayenne and turmeric, saute for another minute, then add the diced tomatoes. Mix well and let the tomatoes cook, stirring them frequently, until they are completely broken down and very pulpy.
- Add the chickpeas along with 2 cups of water and stir well. Add the chana masala spice mix. and stir it in.
- Bring to a boil, turn heat to low, cover and simmer about 15-20 minutes so all the flavors merge. You can use a potato masher to mash some of the chickpeas and thicken the sauce. If the chana masala looks too dry, add more water.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves, if using.
Make the bhatura:
- Heat oil for frying in a pan large enough to hold the bhatura. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll each into a ball. Roll out into a circle about six to eight inches in diameter. Make sure you roll the dough evenly, without any spots that are too thick or too thin.
- When the oil is hot, about 360 degrees, place a bhatura into the pan, taking care not to splash the oil on yourself. Use a spatula to press the bhatura down as it puffs up -- this will ensure it cooks evenly and puffs into a ball.
- Remove the bhatura to a colander lined with paper towels. Serve hot with the chana masala.
Notes
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on a total of ¼th cup oil absorbed by bhaturas during deep frying.
Nutrition
Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 305IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg