chana bhature

Bhature

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups maida or all purpose flour
• ⅓ cup sooji/rava/fine semolina or ½ cup rice flour
• ½ tbsp oil or ghee
• ½ tbsp fine sugar
• ½ tsp salt or as required
• ¼ tsp or ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup yogurt/dahi
• water for kneading as required
• oil for deep frying

INSTRUCTIONS

1. sieve the maida/all purpose flour with baking soda and salt.
2. add the sooji and sugar. mix well. add the yogurt and mix again.
3. add very little water, just about ½ tbsp and begin to knead.
4. knead the dough, adding water as required. make a smooth and soft dough.
5. cover the dough with a wet napkin and keep aside for 2 hours.
6. heat oil in a kadai or pan for deep frying.
7. make small to medium sized balls from the dough.
8. roll the balls between your palms to make them even.
9. keep the balls covered with the wet kitchen napkin.
10. take a ball and flatten them. apply oil on both sides and with a rolling pin roll, the ball into oval or elongated shape.
11. make neither thick nor thin bhaturas.
12. rotate the rolling board while rolling the bhatura as it much easier than lifting it, since we are not using flour to roll them.
13. when the oil is hot enough, place the rolled bhatura gently into the oil. the bhatura will puff up.
14. aid in puffing the bhatura by appling light pressure on it with a slotted spoon.
15. when the oil stops sizzling, turn oven and fry the other side.
16. when the bhatura is light golden, remove and drain on kitchen paper towels.
17. make the rest of the bhaturas this way.
18. serve the bhatura hot with chana masala.

Chana

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried small chickpeas or regular chickpeas/chole/safed chana (canned chickpeas can also be used) or 1.5 cups regular dried chickpeas.
• 1 green chilli/hari mirch, slit
• 1 tsp coriander powder/dhania powder
• ¼ tsp red chilli powder/lal mirch powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
• 1 tsp garam masala powder or chole masala
• ½ or 1 tsp dry mango powder/amchur powder
• a pinch of asafoetida/hing (optional)
• black salt or rock salt as required
• 2 cups water to be added later

whole garam masala/spices

• 1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
• 1 large indian bay leaf/tej patta
• 2 inch cinnamon/dal chini
• 2-3 cloves/lavang
• 2 green cardamom/choti elachi
• 2-3 black peppercorn

ground paste ingredients:

• 1 medium size onion, chopped
• 2 medium size tomatoes, chopped
• ½ inch ginger/adrak, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves/lahsun, chopped
• 1 green chili, chopped

Method:

1. first soak the chickpeas/chole in enough water overnight or for 7-8 hours.
2. drain the water and cook the chole with water+salt in a pressure cooker or a pot.
3. you can also add a pinch or two of baking soda while cooking the chole.
4. strain the chole and keep aside.
5. make a fine paste of the onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chili in a grinder or blender
6. no need to add water while making the paste as the juice of the tomatoes will help in making the paste.
7. keep the paste aside.
8. heat oil in a pan or kadai/wok.
9. fry the whole garam masala/spices mentioned above till the oil become fragrant.
10. don't burn them.
11. add the ground paste and saute till the oil starts to leaves the sides of the paste.
12. stir while sauting so that the paste does not stick to the pan.
13. add all the dry spice powders - turmeric, red chili powder, coriander and dry mango powder.
14. stir and saute for a minute. add the cooked chole and stir.
15. pour water. add salt and stir.
16. simmer on a low or medium flame for 12-15 minutes till the curry thickens. don't cover the pan. stir occasionally.
17. add slit green chilies and garam masala powder or chole masala. stir and simmer for a minute or two.
18. check the seasoning and add more salt or spice powders if required.
19. garnish chole with coriander leaves.
20. serve chole with onion slices, lemon wedges along with bhatura.
21. you can also garnish the chole with some slit green chilies and julienned gingers.
22. enjoy the chole bhature.