A Hint of Spice

My earliest memories of Chole Bhature is of the one I ate at a popular eatery in Bhopal Known as "Manohar Dairy". Since it was long ways from our place ...we did not go there very often,but whenever we passed it,I was sure we ill go inside and have Cholle-Bhature with Lassi(in summers) or Masala Chai(in winter).Yummo!!!
Cholles were traditionally cooked in Iron vessels which imparted it the dark brown color.I use tea leaves for imparting it the color.Some other tips regarding cholle are at the end of this post.Enjoy cholles with tikkis,bhaturas, kulcha,Naan or simply topped on a slice of bread or Pav.Serve with pickled Onions & Achaar

This time the cholles are accompanied with Crisp, but spongy bhaturas are . Bhatura dough was made using leavening agents like soda, curds and leaving it for hours to ferment before they could be rolled out and deep fried.This recipe of bhature is one that I got from my friend Sonal...when in a hurry and want to impress friends ,use pillsbury buttremilk biscuit to make bhatures.(Sneaky...right!!). Remember to eat bhatures hot!






Cholle
Ingredients
1 cup chick peas (Kabuli chana), soaked overnight (see Tips below)
1 tblsp Chana Daal
1 tea bag or teaspoon tea leaves, tied in a muslin cloth (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ajwain seeds (Carom)
1 onion finely chopped
1 green chillie chopped finely or adjust the heat as per your taste
2 medium size tomatoes finely chopped or 2 – 3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp Garam Masala powder
12 mm. (1/2") piece ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 teaspoons chana masala
2 teaspoons red chilli powder
2 teaspoons amchur (dry mango powder)
1 tablespoon coriander (dhania) powder
2 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste



Directions
1.Soak the chole overnight and boil cholle and chana daal with a tea bag. Discard the teabag and keep the water for the curry.
2.In a thick bottomed pan, heat oil and temper it with ajwain seeds. Add green chillies, and garlic and saute it.
3. Then add the onion and fry till they start turning brown.
4.Then add the ginger and tomatoes and the dry masala and cook it all together for about 8-10 minutes.
5.Take 1 -2 tsp of boiled cholle and mash them roughly and add it to the masala to make the curry thicker.
6.Finally add the masala to the cholle and let it cook for 10 mins till it turns thick.
'njoy!!!



Bhature

Ingredients
Pillsbury buttermilk biscuit
Oil to fry
All purpose flour to roll the dough

Directions
1.Keep the Buttermilk biscuit dough roll in fridge or outside so that it softens up and is easy to work with.
2.Take the dough out.It is already shaped in ball shape.
3.Heat oil in a frying pan...enough to fry the bhatures.
4.Roll out the dough using all purpose flour.
5.Fry the bhatures in hot oil until golden brown.
6.Serve hot bhaturas with Cholle and Pickled Onions.

This was my entry for the event Breakfast Foods in the orkut community IHM.

This Goes to Superchef for her event My Legume Love Affair and to Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

This is also going to Pari for her Combo Event.Congratulations Pari on your 100th post.I am also sharing this recipe with Nithu from Nithu's Kitchen for her event CWF-LB :Chickpeas and also with Kiran.












Tips
1.If you are in a hurry,instead of soaking chick peas you can use the canned Garbanzo beans.Remember to rinse the canned beans under running water to remove excessive salt.
2.If you do not have tea bags and don't want the hassle of tying tea leaves in a cloth for boiling,you can boil tea leaves in water and then use that strained water to soak the chick peas.
3.I used ajwain seeds for tadka because it has a digestive qualities.
4.Never saute ginger alone in oil.It burns.Always saute it with tomatoes since they can saute at low temperature.