Chole Bhature

Name: Chole Bhature
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 cans chickpeas (or dried, soaked overnight and boiled, 15 oz), drained, rinsed; 4 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 medium yellow onion, finely diced; 2 cups Roma tomatoes, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated; 2 tbsp chana masala spice blend (store-bought); 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1/2 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp amchur (dried mango powder); 1.5 tsp salt; 1 cup water; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup fine semolina (or extra flour); 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 cup plain yogurt; 4 cups vegetable oil (for deep frying); 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

A beloved North Indian street-food classic pairing spicy, tangy chickpea masala with pillowy deep-fried bread. Rich in plant protein and bold spice, it is a satisfying midday meal or weekend indulgence.

65 minMediumServes 4530 cal/serving

IndianLunchStovetopVegetarianHigh FiberLow CarbNut-FreeEgg-FreeLow-SodiumPork-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

2 cans chickpeas (or dried, soaked overnight and boiled, 15 oz), drained, rinsed
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 cups Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tbsp chana masala spice blend (store-bought)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp amchur (dried mango powder)
1.5 tsp salt
1 cup water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup fine semolina (or extra flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup plain yogurt
4 cups vegetable oil (for deep frying)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1

Make the bhature dough first: Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup fine semolina (or extra flour), 1/2 tsp baking powder, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 cup plain yogurt. Mix then knead 5 to 6 minutes, adding water one tablespoon at a time, until smooth and slightly tacky. Cover and rest 20 minutes.
2

Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and let sizzle 30 seconds.
3

Add 2 medium finely diced yellow onion and cook until deep golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 tsp grated fresh ginger and cook 1 minute.
4

Add 2 cups finely chopped Roma tomatoes and cook until oil separates and mixture is thick, about 7 minutes. Stir in 1/2 tsp ground turmeric and 2 tbsp chana masala spice blend (store-bought) and cook 1 minute.
5

Add 2 cans drained, rinsed chickpeas (or dried, soaked overnight and boiled, 15 oz), 1.5 tsp salt, and 1 cup water. Lightly mash some chickpeas. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp amchur (dried mango powder) and adjust seasoning.
6

Heat 4 cups vegetable oil (for deep frying) in a deep skillet to 360°F (182°C). Divide rested dough into balls and roll each into an oval about 1/4 inch thick.
7

Fry one bhatura at a time, pressing gently so it puffs, 1 to 1.5 minutes per side until golden. Drain on paper towels.
8

Garnish the chickpea curry with 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro and serve immediately with the hot bhature.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The Indian Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

How hot should the oil be for Chole Bhature?

For Chole Bhature, the frying oil is held at 360 F (about 180 C) in step 6. Hotter scorches the outside before the inside cooks, and cooler turns it greasy.

How do I know when Chole Bhature is done?

Go by the cues in the method rather than the clock. Step 4: cook until oil separates and mixture is thick.

What can I use instead of amchur in Chole Bhature?

The entry for Chole Bhature calls for 1 tsp amchur (dried mango powder). In its place: Lemon or lime juice added at the end, about a teaspoon per half teaspoon of powder.

Can I make Chole Bhature gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in Chole Bhature is 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup fine semolina (or extra flour). Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

Is Chole Bhature vegan?

No, though it is vegetarian. What keeps it from vegan is 1/2 cup plain yogurt. For fully plant-based entries, see the vegan lunch collection.

How many carbs are in Chole Bhature?

One serving (the recipe makes 4) has 15 g of carbohydrate in about 530 calories, with 15 g protein and 45 g fat, plus 11 g fiber and 218 mg sodium. The figures are estimates computed from the ingredient list.

Can I start Chole Bhature the day before?

Yes. Step 5 is a built-in pause of overnight, or about 8 hours: "Add 2 cans drained, rinsed chickpeas (or dried, soaked overnight and boiled, 15 oz), 1.5 tsp salt, and 1 cup water." Do everything up to that point ahead of time and pick up at step 6 when you are ready to finish.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.