Chole bhatura/ chole masala for bhatura is one of the Punjabi dishes which is very popular all around the world. I would say kids most favorite dish compare to any other dishes. Tangy and flavourful curry that goes very well with bhatura, poori, and hot phulkas.

Ingredients:

Serves 4 to 5

For cooking chana / chole:

• 1 cup – Chickpeas / kondai kadalai / white chana
• 1 no – Tea bag
• 1 no – Cinnamon stick
• 1 no – Cardamom
• 2 no’s – Clove

For grinding:

• 1 big – Tomato (chopped)
• 1 no – Onion (chopped)
• 3 no’s – Garlic (chopped)
• 1/4 inch – Ginger (chopped)

For gravy:

• 1/2 no – Onion (chopped finely)
• 1 no – Green chillies
• 1/4 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp – Red chilli powder (add as needed)
• 1 1/2 tsp – Coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp – Garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp – Coriander leaves for garnishing
• Ginger juliennes for garnishing

For seasonings:

• 1 tbsp – Butter
• 1/4 tsp – Fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp – Cumin seeds

Preparation method:

1. Wash and soak chickpeas for up to 6 hours or until well soaked. Transfer soaked chana to a pressure cooker along with tea bag, clove, cinnamon, cardamom and enough water to cook. Cook for 4 to 6 whistles or until well cooked.
2. Once cooled remove tea bag, clove, cinnamon and cardamom. Drain water and reserve it for later use.
3. Take a blender, add onion, tomato, ginger and garlic, blend it to a puree. Keep it aside.
4. Heat butter in a pan, season it with fennel seeds and cumin seeds. Followed by chopped onion and green chillies along with little salt, saute until they are slightly golden brown in color.
5. Now add ground onion tomato paste and saute for 2 mins. Followed by turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder, saute until raw smell of masala goes and oil separates.
6. Add cooked chana along with required salt, saute for a minute. Then add the water in which chana is cooked and extra 1 cup of regular water, bring it to boil. Cook for 10 minutes or until you reach the consistency you want.
7. Switch of the stove and garnish with butter, ginger and coriander leaves. Serve with bhatura along with lemon wedges and onion rings.

Notes:

• Original recipe had amchur powder, but I did not use it in this recipe. Still chole masala tasted yummy.
• Always reserve water in which chana is cooked. You can add this chickpeas water in the curry along with our regular water.
• Increase or decrease red chilli powder as per your spice level.