Punjabi Chole Bhature Spiced Chickpea Fried Bread Breakfast

Ingredients

• For chole:
• 1.5 cups kabuli chana (dried chickpeas) — soaked overnight, boiled with 1 tea bag for dark colour
• 2 large onions — finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes — finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 3 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp chole masala (or: 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp amchur, 1/4 tsp pomegranate powder, 1/4 tsp black cardamom powder)
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• Salt
• For bhature:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Water — to make a soft dough
• Oil for deep frying

Method

1. Make chole: heat oil. Add onion. Cook 12 minutes until very dark golden.
2. Add ginger-garlic paste. Cook 3 minutes. Add tomatoes.
3. Cook 10 minutes until oil separates. Add chole masala, red chilli powder and salt. Cook 3 minutes. Add boiled chickpeas with 1 cup cooking water. Mash 10 to 15 chickpeas against the pot. Simmer 15 minutes until thick and dark. Add garam masala.
4. Make bhature: combine maida, yogurt, baking soda, sugar and salt.
5. Add water gradually to knead a smooth, soft, slightly elastic dough.
6. Cover. Rest 2 hours — the yogurt ferments slightly.
7. Divide into 8 balls. Roll each into an oval 12 cm long.
8. Fry in medium-hot oil 1 to 2 minutes per side until puffed and golden. Drain.
9. Serve chole topped with sliced onion, lemon and green chilli alongside hot bhature.