Chole Bature is a classic quintessential combination that one can never get bored off, especially when it comes to North Indian cuisine along with Tandoori chicken ofcourse. Those fluffy, soft, deep-fried bature dunked into a thick chickpea gravy along with some raw onion salad is a match made in heaven :p
Although the list of ingredients may be more, trust me these are things which are mostly available in any Indian pantry or grocery stores. A wee bit of prep work and a handful of chopping and you are good to go to serve a delicious restaurant-style Punjabi Chole Masala from your very own kitchen!!
Unlike other recipes, the way Chickpeas are cooked here is a wee bit different though. We use black tea concoction or you can tie the leaves in a potli and pressure cook them as well.
Hot water is used to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
Ensure that the Channa is completely cooked by pressing a few, we do not want the hard bits. Also, use the best quality of whole spices for that awesome flavour bomb i nevery bite of the gravy.
When I made this recipe, we paired it with normal phulkas and they tasted just as good. Since no one was in a mood to eat something oily or deep-fried - which happens to be my weakness. A simple cucumber salad or a raw onion salad goes really well as an accompaniment.
Here' what you need to make a decent serving for about 3-4 people
INGREDIENTS:
White chickpeas (Kabuli chana) 250 gm
Garlic pods - 6-7
Black tea - 2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Onion paste from 2 medium-sized Onions
Tomatoes - 3, pureed
Green Chillies - 2 (adjust as per preference)
Ginger - 1 inch
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Red Chilli powder - 3 tsp (adjust as per preference)
Jeera/Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Kasuri Methi - 1 tbsp
Fresh Coriander - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking - 5 tbsp
Whole spices: Cinnamon stick -1 inch
Black cardamom - 1
Green cardamom -2
Cloves - 4
Black peppercorn - 6
Bayleaf -1 1
Ajwain seeds - 1 tsp
PROCEDURE
Wash and soak the chickpeas overnight.
In a pressure cooker add sufficient fresh water to cook the chickpeas. Add in garlic pods, whole spices and a teabag. Pressure cook for 3 whistles.
Let the cooker de-pressurize and remove the tea bag and drain the stock, set aside. Do not discard the cooked chickpea water as we will be using it to adjust the gravy consistency later on.
Check if the chickpeas are cooked well (they need to turn soft & mushy when you press them between your fingers).
In a deep pan or a kadai, heat oil and add the raw onion paste, ginger garlic paste.Cook them for about 6mins or so until it turns brown and the oil starts to separate on a medium flame,
Next, add the tomato puree and cook this mixture until oil starts to separate.
Add in raw ginger, salt to taste, powdered spices mentioned under the ingredient list (except garam masala) and mix well. Cook this mixture with 1/2 cup of water for about 3 mins.
Add in your cooked chole along with the whole spices along with the stock basis the gravy consistency desired.
Check for spice/salt levels and adjust as per your preference. Add in garam masala, kasuri methi and cook with a closed lid on for 4-5mins on a low flame.
Garnish with Coriander leaves and serve hot with puris, bature or parathas.
