CHANA BHATURA

                                   
                                      

Chana Bhatura or Chole Bhature is a Punjabi special. Spicy chana with yummy bhatura – you’ll feel like hogging them to your heart’s content. And then you are sure to go in for a well-deserved siesta! So try this for the weekend brunch / lunch! Just plan it one day in advance, that's all! Those of you who are based in the US may use canned chickpeas in emergencies / if you are short of time.

Serves 3-4

Chana

Ingredients

Kabuli chana (chickpeas) – 250 gms

Onion – 2 medium sized – chopped fine

Tomatoes – 2 medium sized (cut and blended in a mixer)

Tamarind – marble-sized (soaked in a little water and pulp extracted) / Amchur - 1/2 tsp

Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp

Green chilli – 2-3 (chopped)

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Asafetida – ½ tsp

Bay leaf – 2

Big Cardamom - 1

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Red chilli powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 2 tsp

Garam masala powder – 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil – 2-3 tbsp

Coriander leaves – finely chopped – 2 tbsp

Method

Wash kabuli chana well and soak in water overnight.

Next day, transfer the chana and water to a pressure cooker. Add sufficient water.

Add one cardamom, a bay leaf and 1 tbsp of chopped onion, a pinch of turmeric powder and 4 drops of oil to the chana and pressure cook it for 20-25 minutes after 2 whistles. When cool, add salt and gently mash the chana.

Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in a kadhai. Add a bay leaf, cumin seeds and asafetida, followed by chopped onions and fry for 2 -3 minutes.

Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies and stir till onion turns light brown.

Add the masalas and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add blended tomatoes and tamarind pulp and keep stirring till oil separates.

Add the cooked chana and more water if required and bring to boil.

Let it simmer on low heat for 3 - 5 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with a slice of lemon and finely chopped onion and green chillies.

Tips

If the chana has not cooked well, remove 2tbsps of the cooked chana separately and mash well and add to the rest of the chana.
 If you are using canned chickpeas, wash it well, boil it for some time with bay leaf and cardamom and add it to the fried onion gravy and simmer well.

‘Bhatura’ is an all-time favorite for special occasions along with chana. You have to decide on the menu one day earlier – as you have to prepare the dough 5-7 hours earlier and soak chana overnight.

Bhatura  (makes 12-14)

Ingredients – 
 Maida (all-purpose flour) - 2 ½ cups

Rawa - 1 tbsp

Baking soda – ½ level tsp

Salt to taste

Oil – 2 tbsp

Sour curd – 2/3 - 3/4 cup (whisked)

Oil for frying

Method –

Sieve the flour with baking soda twice.

Add rawa and salt and mix well.

Add yogurt little by little and mix well.

Add 1 tbsp of oil and more yogurt till a soft and stiff dough is formed.

Grease your palm with 1 tbsp of oil and knead the dough well.

Cover with a lid and set aside for 6-7 hours.

Heat oil in a kadhai.

Roll out bhaturas – slightly bigger than puris - using oil as dip instead of flour.

When oil is hot, add the bhatura and fry it like puri.

Drain off the oil and set it on tissue paper.

Serve hot with chana.

Tips –

The bhatura will be a little more difficult to roll than puris.

The oil should be hot. If not, the bhatura will not puff fully.

If you feel the oil is too hot, turn off the stove for 2 minutes and then restart.

 PURI CHANA

Puri - chana tastes awesome too : puris are more predictable and trust-worthy than the occasional 'trouble-shooter' that bhatura is! 

Chana tastes good if made with 'kala chana' too - but since it does not cook as well as kabuli chana, make sure that you take out 2 tbsps of cooked chana and mash it well and add it to the chana so that the gravy becomes thick!

 

 © Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.