Short answer
Chole bhature is a North Indian dish of spiced chickpea curry (chole) eaten with bhature, a soft fried bread that puffs up in hot oil. The chickpeas simmer with onion, tomato and a dark spice blend, while the bhature dough is rested so it puffs.
Chole bhature is a North Indian dish of spiced chickpea curry (chole) served with bhature, a soft, puffed deep-fried bread. The chickpeas simmer in a dark, tangy gravy of onion, tomato and ground spices, while the bhature dough is rested so that it balloons in hot oil. This chole bhature guide explains both parts and a home method.
What is chole bhature?
Chole bhature is a combination meal from Punjab and Delhi, built from two separate dishes eaten together: chole, a chickpea curry, and bhature, a leavened fried bread. It is a very common breakfast, brunch and street food order across North India.
The word chole is the Hindi and Punjabi word for chickpeas, and the curry is sometimes written chhole, chana chole or Punjabi chole. Bhatura (plural bhature) is the bread, made from plain flour. The pair is usually served with raw onion, green chilies, pickle and lemon.
What goes into the chole?
Chole is made from dried white chickpeas (kabuli chana), soaked and boiled until tender, then simmered in a gravy of onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and spices. The finished curry is thick, tangy and dark brown.
The usual ingredients are:
- Chickpeas: large pale kabuli chickpeas, soaked overnight
- Aromatics: onion, ginger, garlic and green chili
- Tomato: fresh or pureed, for sourness and body
- Spices: cumin, coriander, turmeric, red chili, garam masala and often a ready-made chole masala
- Souring agents: amchur (dried mango powder), anardana (dried pomegranate seed) or tamarind
- Color: a black tea bag boiled with the chickpeas, a common home trick for the dark tone
Chole masala is a spice blend sold as a packet in many South Asian grocery stores. It typically includes cumin, coriander, black cardamom, amchur and similar spices, though the mix differs between brands and families.
What are bhature made of?
Bhature are made from refined wheat flour (maida or all-purpose flour), yogurt, a little sugar, salt, oil and a raising agent such as baking powder or yeast. The dough is kneaded soft and rested before frying.
Yogurt and the long rest do two jobs: they soften the gluten and add a gentle tang. Some cooks add a spoonful of semolina (sooji) for a slightly firmer bite. Whole wheat flour is not the traditional choice, since the bread is meant to be pale and light.
How do you make chole at home?
To make chole, boil soaked chickpeas until very soft, then simmer them in a fried onion and tomato masala for 20 to 30 minutes so the gravy thickens and clings.
- Soak 250 g dried chickpeas overnight in plenty of water.
- Boil with salt and a tea bag in a pot or pressure cooker until completely tender, about 40 minutes in a pot or 20 minutes under pressure.
- Fry one large chopped onion in oil until deep golden. Add a tablespoon of ginger and garlic paste.
- Add two chopped tomatoes, turmeric, chili, coriander and chole masala. Cook until the oil separates.
- Add the drained chickpeas and about 250 ml of the cooking water. Simmer for 20 minutes, mashing a few chickpeas to thicken.
- Finish with amchur, a squeeze of lemon and fresh coriander leaves.
Canned chickpeas work in a hurry, but dried chickpeas give a better texture and a richer cooking liquid for the gravy.
How do you make bhature dough that puffs?
Bhature puff when a rested, soft dough meets oil at about 180 degrees Celsius. The dough traps steam inside, so the disc swells into a hollow balloon within seconds.
- Mix 300 g plain flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar and half a teaspoon baking powder.
- Add 3 tablespoons yogurt and 1 tablespoon oil, then enough warm water to form a soft dough.
- Knead for 8 minutes until smooth, cover and rest for at least two hours.
- Divide into 8 balls. Roll each into an oval about 3 mm thick, with a little oil rather than dry flour.
- Slide one into hot oil. Press it gently with a slotted spoon so it puffs, then flip after 15 seconds.
- Lift out when pale golden and drain briefly.
Fry one at a time and keep the oil hot between pieces. Dough that tears in the oil is usually too thin at the edges.
Chole bhature vs puri and kulcha: what is the difference?
Bhature are larger, softer and leavened, puri are smaller and made from whole wheat dough without a raising agent, and kulcha is a baked or pan-cooked bread. All three can be served with chickpea curry.
| Bread | Flour | Raising agent | Cooking method | Typical size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhatura | Plain flour | Yogurt, baking powder or yeast | Deep fried | Large, oval |
| Puri | Whole wheat (atta) | None | Deep fried | Small, round |
| Kulcha | Plain flour | Yogurt or yeast | Tandoor or pan | Medium, round |
A plate of chole with puri is sometimes sold as chole puri, which is a lighter meal than chole bhature.
How do you serve chole bhature?
Chole bhature is served hot, with the curry in a bowl or beside the bread on a plate, and a side of sliced onion, green chili and lemon. Many people add pickled carrot, mango pickle or a bowl of yogurt.
Some cooks top the chole with thin ginger strips and chopped coriander. Because the meal is rich and filling, the sharp sides are not decoration: they keep each bite fresh.
Can you make chole bhature ahead?
You can make the chole a day or two ahead, and the flavor often improves overnight, but bhature are best fried fresh. Reheat the curry gently with a splash of water.
The dough can be kneaded the day before and kept in the refrigerator, then brought to room temperature before rolling. Leftover cooked bhature turn chewy, though a warm dry skillet will soften them a little.
Where does the pantry side connect to New SpiceLand Supermarket?
Chole bhature relies on dry goods such as chickpeas, flour, yogurt and spice blends, which are the kind of items a South Asian grocery shelf generally holds. That is general information about this kind of food, not a statement about one shop.
BlogTO described New SpiceLand Supermarket in 2012 as a large store with Indian and Sri Lankan groceries and prepackaged goods. No product list is published, so this guide cannot say whether the store has a given packet or brand. Call +1 416-335-3030 before going, and see the hours and location page and the menu page for what is known. This guide is independent and takes no orders.
Common questions
Is chole the same as chana masala?
They are close relatives. Chole usually means the darker, tangier Punjabi chickpea curry, often colored with tea and flavored with a chole masala, while chana masala is a broader name for chickpeas cooked in spiced gravy.
Why do my bhature not puff?
The oil may be too cool, the dough too stiff or unrested, or the rolled disc too thin or too thick. Rest the dough at least two hours and fry in oil that sizzles as soon as dough touches it.
Can I make chole bhature without yogurt?
Yes. Yogurt gives the bhature dough tang and softness, but you can use warm water and a little extra baking powder or yeast. The texture will be slightly less tender and a little less sour.
How long do cooked chole keep?
Cooked chole keeps three to four days in a covered container in the refrigerator and tastes better the next day. It also freezes well for a couple of months. Fry bhature fresh, since they turn chewy once cold.
What do you serve with chole bhature?
Typical sides are sliced raw onion, green chili, lemon wedges, a pickle and sometimes plain yogurt or lassi. The sharp, crunchy sides cut through the richness of the fried bread.
Planning a visit? Start with New Spiceland Supermarket: address, opening hours, menu and directions in one place.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from New SpiceLand Supermarket itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.