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Prep time Cook time Serves
30 minutes plus soaking and resting 60 minutes 4

Why You’ll Love This Chole Bhature Recipe

Chole bhature is a classic Punjabi combination of deeply spiced chickpea curry and soft, puffed fried bread. The chole should be dark, tangy and aromatic, while the bhature should be light enough to tear easily and sturdy enough to scoop the curry.

This complete chole bhature recipe builds the curry with HPK Cumin, Coriander, Turmeric, Kashmiri Chilli, Black Pepper and Garam Masala. Tea adds traditional dark colour without changing the dish into a tea-flavoured curry, and dried pomegranate or amchur supplies the characteristic tang.

HPK spice profile

HPK Cumin Powder • HPK Coriander Powder • HPK Turmeric Powder • HPK Kashmiri Chilli Powder • HPK Red Chilli Powder • HPK Black Pepper Powder • HPK Garam Masala Powder

Ingredients

  • For the chole: 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
  • 1 black tea bag or 1 tablespoon tea leaves tied in muslin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt for pressure-cooking
  • 3 tablespoons oil or ghee
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
  • 3 medium tomatoes, puréed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons HPK Cumin Powder
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons HPK Coriander Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon HPK Turmeric Powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons HPK Kashmiri Chilli Powder
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon HPK Red Chilli Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon HPK Black Pepper Powder
  • 1 teaspoon HPK Garam Masala Powder
  • 1 teaspoon amchur or 1 tablespoon crushed dried pomegranate seeds
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups chickpea cooking liquid
  • For the bhature: 2 cups maida
  • 2 tablespoons semolina
  • 1/2 cup plain yoghurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • Warm water as needed
  • Oil for deep-frying

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Drain the soaked chickpeas. Pressure-cook with fresh water, the tea bag, bay leaf and salt until very tender but not broken. Reserve the cooking liquid and discard the tea bag and bay leaf.
  2. For the bhature dough, combine maida, semolina, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add yoghurt and oil, then enough warm water to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, cover and rest for at least 2 hours.
  3. For the chole, heat oil or ghee. Add cumin seeds, then onions. Cook until deep golden; this stage contributes substantially to colour and flavour.
  4. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook until aromatic. Add tomato purée and salt, then cook until thick and glossy.
  5. Lower the heat. Add HPK Cumin Powder, HPK Coriander Powder, HPK Turmeric Powder, HPK Kashmiri Chilli Powder, HPK Red Chilli Powder and HPK Black Pepper Powder. Add a splash of chickpea liquid and cook for 2 minutes.
  6. Add the cooked chickpeas and 1 cup reserved liquid. Mash a small spoonful of chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken the curry. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes.
  7. Add amchur or crushed dried pomegranate and HPK Garam Masala Powder. Adjust salt and consistency. Rest the chole for at least 10 minutes before serving.
  8. Divide the bhature dough into balls. Roll each into a medium-thick oval without using too much dry flour.
  9. Heat oil until moderately hot. Slide in one bhatura and gently press with a slotted spoon until it puffs. Turn and fry until lightly golden. Drain and serve immediately with chole.

Why These HPK Spices Work

Chole needs both depth and brightness. Cumin and coriander build the base, chilli supplies colour and heat, black pepper adds warmth, and HPK Garam Masala is added after the long simmer so its aroma does not disappear.

Cooking Tips for the Best Result

  • Chickpeas must be fully tender before entering the masala; undercooked chickpeas will not soften properly in an acidic tomato gravy.
  • Cook onions slowly to a deep golden shade for rich colour.
  • Rest bhatura dough well so it rolls and puffs easily.
  • Maintain medium-high oil temperature. Cool oil makes bhature greasy; excessively hot oil browns them before they puff.

How to Serve and Store

Serve chole bhature with sliced onion, green chilli, pickle and lime. Chole can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and often tastes even better the next day. Bhature are best eaten immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make chole darker without artificial colour?

Use a tea bag while pressure-cooking and brown the onions properly. The tea deepens the colour but should be removed before making the curry.

Can I make bhature without yeast?

Yes. Yoghurt, baking powder and baking soda provide leavening in this recipe.

Why did my bhature not puff?

The dough may be too stiff, insufficiently rested, rolled unevenly or fried at the wrong temperature. Keep the dough soft and the oil moderately hot.

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