Chole Bhature Recipe: 5 Easy Steps to Authentic Punjabi Chana Bhatura
This Chole Bhature Recipe makes spicy chana curry with soft, fluffy bhature an authentic Punjabi breakfast ready in easy steps.
RUKAIYA KADIWAL 
This Chole Bhature Recipe is a well loved North Indian dish that pairs a tangy, spiced chickpea curry with soft, deep fried leavened bread, commonly eaten for breakfast or brunch in Delhi and Punjab but enjoyed throughout the country at any time of day. As a classic Punjabi dish, this chole bhature varies from region to region, sometimes leaning spicier or tangier, and ranges in consistency from slightly thick to semi dry, and is usually served with sliced onions, pickles, and lemon wedges. This particular chana bhatura version is the author's mother's recipe, offering a simpler, homely flavor rather than a restaurant or dhaba style taste, made by blending onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, and green chilies into a paste that's cooked with whole and ground spices before the chickpeas are added and simmered into the gravy.
Why This Punjabi Chole Bhature Recipe Works
Unlike heavier restaurant versions, this chana bhatura recipe keeps things simple and homely while still delivering bold, comforting North Indian breakfast flavors. The chole bhature pairs well with poori, naan, kulcha, aloo kulcha, aloo paratha, or pav if short on time.
Dassana's Notes on This Chole Bhature Recipe
For a more detailed guide on the bhatura itself, the author points readers to her separate post on bhatura. Spices and seasonings can be adjusted according to personal taste, and the chickpeas should be soaked for 7 to 8 hours or overnight for the best texture. Adding dried amla or a tea bag while pressure cooking gives the chole a deeper brown color, while amchur powder or anardana powder helps achieve the typical tangy, street style flavor. The bhature dough should be kneaded until soft and rested for 30 minutes to 2 hours, and the bhature should be fried in moderately hot oil so they puff up well and cook evenly without turning too dark.
Suggestions for Serving Chana Bhatura
This Punjabi breakfast dish can be served with sliced onions, green chilies, lemon wedges, a side of pickle or curd, and Khatte Aloo for a complete street style meal. A glass of salted or sweet lassi also complements this heavy chole bhature meal, especially when served for brunch or lunch, and a small bowl of boondi raita or mango pickle makes a nice addition too.
Expert Tips for Perfect Chole Bhature
Dried chickpeas should be soaked overnight and pressure cooked until tender but not mushy for the best texture, while canned chickpeas just need a good rinse and adjusted cooking time. Letting the bhature dough rest for 30 to 45 minutes, or up to 1.5 to 2 hours if time allows, helps the baking soda and curd work properly so the dough turns out light and elastic. The frying oil should be medium hot rather than smoking, since oil that's too hot browns the bhature too quickly while oil that's too cold makes them greasy. Rolling the dough evenly helps it puff properly, and frying only one or two bhature at a time keeps the oil temperature stable for the best results.
For more authentic north indian and south indian breakfast ideas straight from the source, check out Vegrecipesofindia's collection of Indian breakfast recipes.
If you enjoyed this hearty Punjabi breakfast, you'll also love our Neer Dosa recipe, a soft and lacy South Indian rice crepe that's equally quick to make.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried white chickpeas (3 cups of canned chickpeas can also be used)
- water – as required for soaking
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups water – for stovetop pressure cooking
- 1 to 2 pinches baking soda – optional
- 2 to 3 tablespoons oil or ghee
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) – optional
- ½ or 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
- 1 to 1.5 cups water – to be added later
- salt as required
- 1 green chilli – slit
- 1 teaspoon garam masala or chana masala powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf), large-sized
- 2 inches cinnamon
- 2 to 3 cloves
- 2 green cardamom
- 2 to 3 black peppercorns
- 2 tomatoes – chopped, medium-sized
- 1 inch ginger – peeled and chopped
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves – peeled and chopped, medium-sized
- 1 green chili – chopped
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
- ⅓ cup sooji (rava or fine semolina), finer textured
- 2 tablespoon oil or ghee
- 1 tablespoon sugar – fine granulated
- ½ teaspoon salt or as required
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup curd (yogurt)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons water or add as required, for kneading
- oil – for deep frying as required
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 646kcal
- Carbohydrates: 90g
- Protein: 19g
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Cholesterol: 4mg
- Sodium: 882mg
- Potassium: 779mg
- Fiber: 13g
- Sugar: 12g
- Vitamin A: 613IU
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): 1mg
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 1mg
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 5mg
- Vitamin B6: 1mg
- Vitamin B12: 1µg
- Vitamin C: 15mg
- Vitamin E: 9mg
- Vitamin K: 11µg
- Calcium: 133mg
- Vitamin B9 (Folate): 406µg
- Iron: 7mg
- Magnesium: 93mg
- Phosphorus: 309mg
- Zinc: 3mg
Directions
How to Make Chole Bhature Step by Step
Soaking & Cooking Chickpeas
Rinse the white chickpeas for a couple of times in water. Then soak the chickpeas in enough water overnight or for 7 to 8 hours. Next day drain all the water and cook the chickpeas with water+salt in a pressure cooker or a pot. You can also add a pinch or two of baking soda while cooking the chickpeas. Drain the water and keep the chickpeas aside.
Making The Curry
In a grinder or blender take the chopped onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chillies. Grind or blend to a fine paste. You don't need to add any water while blending, as the juices from the tomatoes is enough to form a smooth paste. Keep the prepared paste aside. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil in a pan or kadai/wok. Add the whole garam masala (spices) – cumin seeds, tej patta, cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms and black peppercorns. Fry the whole garam masala mentioned above till the oil become fragrant. But don't burn them. Add the ground paste and saute till the oil starts to leave the sides of the masala paste. Keep stirring often. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes or more till the oil starts to leave the sides of the masala paste and the paste thickens and becomes glossy. Stir while sautéing so that the paste does not stick to the pan. Next add all the dry spice powders – turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder (dhania powder), asafoetida (optional) and dry mango powder (amchur). Mix very well and saute for a minute or two. Now add the cooked chickpeas and stir. Add 1 to 1.5 cups water or add as required. Also add salt as per taste and mix well. Simmer the gravy on a low or medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes or until the curry thickens. Don't cover the pan. Stir occasionally. Mash a few chickpeas with the back of spoon. This helps in thickening the gravy. Lastly add the slit green chili and garam masala powder or chana masala powder. Mix well and simmer for a minute or two. Check the seasoning and add more salt or spice powders if required. Garnish the curry with coriander leaves. You can also garnish with some slit green chilies and ginger julienne while serving. Serve chana curry with onion slices, lemon wedges along with bhatura.
Making Bhatura
Using a sieve, sift the all-purpose flour, salt and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Then add the semolina and sugar to the sifted ingredients. Now to the sifted ingredients, add the curd (yogurt) and oil. Mix very well with a spoon. Adding water in parts first mix and then knead to a smooth and soft dough. Cover the dough with a wet cotton napkin and let it rest for 30 to 45 minutes or 2 hours. Later pinch medium-sized balls from the dough. Roll the dough piece to a neat ball between your palms. Place the dough ball on your work surface and press it lightly with your fingers. Spread a bit of oil on both sides of the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough ball into an oval or elongated shape. You can also make a round circle. In a pan or kadai heat oil on medium-high heat for deep frying. Drop the rolled dough in hot oil and it will quickly start puffing in the oil. When the sizzling of the oil stops, turn over and fry the other side. You can flip once or twice for even cooking. When light golden or golden, remove bhatura and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil. Roll and fry in batches this way. Serve the hot puffed up bhatura with the curry and enjoy Chole Bhature meal with a side of sliced onions, green chillies and lemon.
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