The Ultimate Chole Bhature Recipe Collection – Classic Punjabi Delight
Explore authentic and flavorful Chole Bhature recipes — from traditional spicy chickpeas to soft, fluffy bhature — to recreate this North Indian favorite at home.
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
45 min
Serving
4
Difficulty
Intermediate
About This Recipe
Chole Bhature is a beloved North Indian dish consisting of spiced chickpeas (chole) served with deep-fried, fluffy bread (bhature). It’s a hearty and indulgent meal, commonly enjoyed for breakfast or lunch, but equally loved as street food. The chickpea curry is rich, tangy, and aromatic, cooked in a tomato-onion masala with whole spices. Bhature is soft and slightly fermented, making it puff up beautifully when fried.
This combo is a comfort food staple — perfect for special meals, weekend brunches, or festive cooking.
Ingredients
- For Chole (Chickpea Curry):
- 2 cups chickpeas (kabuli chana), soaked overnight
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes, pureed / chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- Whole spices: 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 3–4 cloves, 3 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder (or to taste)
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ¼ tsp asafoetida (hing) (optional)
- 1–2 tbsp chole / chana masala
- ½ tsp dry mango powder (amchur) (optional)
- 2 black tea bags (for color)
- Salt, to taste
- 2 tsp oil (or more, for sautéing)
- Fresh coriander (cilantro) for garnish
- Lemon juice or butter (optional, at the end)
- For Bhature (Fried Bread):
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
- 2 tbsp semolina / rava
- ¼ cup yogurt / curd
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp baking soda (or yeast depending on recipe)
- ½ tsp salt
- Water (as needed to knead)
- Oil, for deep frying
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 427 kcal
- Protein: 10.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fat: 20 g
- Fiber: 12 g
Directions
1. Prepare the Chole:
- Soak the chickpeas overnight in water.
- Pressure cook the soaked chickpeas with water and a pinch of salt until soft. Optionally, include tea bags while boiling to give the chole its characteristic dark color.
- In a pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms. Sauté till fragrant. Add chopped onions, sauté till translucent. Stir in ginger-garlic paste.
- Add turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and asafoetida. Cook for a minute.
- Pour in tomato puree, cook until oil begins to separate or the masala thickens.
- Add boiled chickpeas, chole masala, a little water as needed, and simmer on low heat for 15–20 minutes so flavors meld.
- Add amchur (if using), salt, and simmer some more. Then finish with lemon juice or butter and garnish with coriander.
2. Prepare the Bhature:
- In a bowl, mix maida, semolina, salt, sugar, and baking soda / yeast.
- Add yogurt, a little water and knead into a soft, pliable dough. Let it rest / ferment for 1–2 hours till it puffs slightly.
- Divide the dough into equal balls. Roll each ball into a circle (or slightly oval) using a rolling pin.
- Heat plenty of oil in a deep frying pan / kadhai. Fry each bhatura on medium-high heat, pressing gently so it puffs. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
3. Serve
- Serve the hot chole in a bowl.
- Place bhature alongside, or serve by placing bread next to the chole.
- Optionally, serve with sliced onions, lemon wedges, pickles, or yogurt for added flavor and texture.
4. Tips & Variations
- Tea trick: Adding tea bags while cooking chickpeas gives the chole a rich, dark color and depth of flavor.
- Healthier bhature: Use a lighter dough (or bake / shallow fry) to reduce oil. Sanjeev Kapoor’s version uses minimal oil.
- Flavor boost: Use kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) in chole for a stronger aroma.
- Spice variation: Add garam masala near the end of chole cooking for warmth.
- Serving ideas: Pair with lachha pyaz (sliced onions), coriander chutney, or a side of yogurt for contrast.
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