Chole Bhature and Laccha Pyaz

Chole Bhature and Laccha Pyaz from Dipna Anand. Chole Bhature is one of North India’s most iconic comfort foods. Fluffy, golden bhature are served with richly spiced chole (chickpeas) and finished with fresh, tangy lachha pyaaz for the perfect balance of flavours.

Ingredients

Chole Recipe

5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 1⁄2 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste
1 teaspoon birds eye green chilli paste or to taste 350g plum peeled tomatoes, puréed
1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon red chilli powder 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cumin powder 30g butter
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt or to taste
420g chickpeas (freshly boiled or tinned) (strained)
150-25ml water
1 teaspoon anardana powder
1⁄2 teaspoon mango powder
3 tablespoons fresh chopped coriander, save some for garnishing
1 1⁄2 teaspoons garam masala

Bhature Recipe

500g self-raising flour 85g coarse semolina 150g plain yoghurt 1tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2-3 tbsp milk
150-180ml lukewarm water 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Oil for deep frying

Laccha Pyaz Recipe

1 large red onion, thin rings or half-moons 1 tsp red chilli powder
1⁄2 lemon, freshly squeezed
Salt to taste
1⁄4 tsp chaat masala
1 tbsp fresh chopped coriander
Water to soak onion

Method

Print Recipe

Chole Method:

Heat the oil in a saucepan and then add the cumin seeds and sizzle for about thirty seconds
Then add the chopped onions to the saucepan and cook until the onions are golden brown, this should take about 8 minutes
When the onions are golden brown, then add the ginger/garlic paste and green chilli paste to the onions and cook for about a minute
Then add the blended plum peeled tomatoes to the saucepan and cook for about 2 minutes
Add the turmeric, red chilli powder, cumin powder and salt to the tomato sauce and then remove from the heat and blend the masala until smooth
Put the masala back on to the heat, add the butter to it and cook the masala now for a good 12 minutes (add a little water if the masala starts to stick to the bottom of the saucepan)
Add the drained chickpeas to the saucepan and cook for about five minutes, add the water at this point also so that the curry texture becomes loose and not too thick and so that the sauce does not dry out whilst cooking
Add the pomegranate powder to the chickpea masala, cook for a further minute
Finally add the mango powder to the dish, cook for 30 seconds before adding the chopped coriander and garam masala to the dish
Serve

Bhature Method:

In a large bowl, mix the self-raising flour, semolina, salt, sugar, and baking powder.
Add the yogurt and milk, then mix together. Gradually add the lukewarm water until you have a soft, smooth dough. It should be soft but not sticky.
Knead for 4-6 minutes until smooth.
Knead in the tablespoon of oil at the end.
Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 2–4 hours at room temperature.
Divide into 10–12 equal balls.
Roll each into a circle or oval, about 12–15cm wide.
Deep fry in oil heated to 180°C, gently pressing the bhatura with a slotted spoon as it fries to help it puff up. Cook for about 25–30 seconds per side until golden. 10. Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately.

Laccha Pyaz Method:

Slice the onions into very thin rings or half-moons.
Separate the layers and soak the onions in ice-cold water for 10–15 minutes. This keeps them crisp and removes some of the sharpness.
Drain well and pat dry.
In a bowl, combine the onions with red chilli, lemon juice, salt, chaat masala and fresh coriander.
Leave to marinate for 10-15 minutes before serving.