Chhole Bhature...my best friend's request!! :-)

            This brings back college memories...my recipe was a favorite among friends. I remember how Ramya would request me to cook it for her once she tasted it and relished it, and it was on the menu again and again for her..On Demand!! :-).Once she came from Vijaywada to have it.
      Pavani has recently told that she relished that flavor and requested me to add my recipe to the blog.
So today i am sharing my version of Chhole bhature..

Ingredients:
Chhole-200g
Cinnamon- 1 stick
Cardamom-3
Bay leaf- 2
Teabag- 1
Soak the chhole in water overnight or 6 to 8 hours minimum, Put the above ingredients in a pressure cooker along with 500ml of water and cook it for 5 to 6 whistles and let it cool naturally in the cooker itselves.
 

                                 

To roast and grind:
1 tsp -Cumin Seeds/Jeera
1 tsp - Fennel Seeds/Saunf
1/2 tsp - Black Peppercorns
1 - Black Cardamom/Badi Elachi
1 - Green Cardamom/Choti Elachi
1/2 inch - Cinnamon/Dalchini
1 - Star anise/Phool Chakra
1 - Mace/Javitri
4 - Cloves/Laung
1 tsp - Red Chili Powder
2 tsp - dhania powder
1/4 tsp - Turmeric Powder
if you donot have patience and could go easy on authenticity, go ahead with chhole masala. Add as instructed on the pack.
Onion- 2 medium

For the gravy:
2 tbsp - Oil or Ghee
A Pinch - Asafoetida/Hing
1 small - Bayleaf/Tejpatta
1/2 tsp - cumin seeds
1 Medium - Onion
1/2 tbsp - ginger-garlic paste
2 - Green Chillies
3 medium - Tomatoes
1/2 tsp - Dry Mango/Amchur Powder
1 tsp - Lemon Juice
To Taste - Salt, sugar-1/2 tspn
1 tbsp - Chopped Coriander Leaves
Garam masala powder- 1/2 tspn

Method:
1. Rinse chhole 3-4 times  in water and soak overnight with double the amount of water. Next day rinse the soaked chhole 2 times and pressure cook with 1/2 tsp salt, bay leaf,cardamom, cinnamon and tea bag with 500ml water for 5 to 6 whistles. Once pressure is released, discard the bay leaf, cinnamon,cardamom and tea bag, drain the chickpeas and keep the water aside.

2 .Heat a pan, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, mace, star anise, peppercorns, black cardamom, green cardamom and saute for a min on medium flame. Off the flame and add red chili powder, dhania powder, turmeric powder, stir for 30 secs to a minute so all the masala gets roasted, allow to cool and grind into fine powder.

3. Peel and roughly chop 2 onions and slice the third onion. Heat 2 tsp oil or ghee in a pressure pan and saute onion until light brown, allow to cool and grind into fine paste, add 1 tbsp water only if needed. Chop and puree the tomatoes, chop green chillies and keep aside.

4.In same pan, heat 30ml of oil or ghee, add hing, bay leaf, cumin seeds and allow to splutter. Add sliced onions, green chillies, ginger-garlic paste and saute until onion becomes golden.

5. Now add the onion paste and cook on medium flame with regular stirring until oil oozes out. Add the tomato puree, 1 tbsp heaped of masala powder prepared or the chhole masala of your preferance, garam masala, 1/2 tspn sugar and mix  it well.

6. Cook until oil oozes out with stirring in intervals on medium  flame, Add chhole and the water in which chhole were boiled that we have  reserved and 1 or 2 cups of water if required and bring it to a boil. Mash few chhole with the back of ladle, this makes gravy thicker, pressure cook for 2 whistles and let it simmer for 5-8 mins or until oil floats on top. Now add a dollop of butter and simmer for a minute. Garnish with coriander leaves and lemon juice. Serve hot with bhature.

For Bhatura:

Ingredients:

2 cups Flour ( 1 took 2 cups Refined flour and 1 cup Wheat Flour)

2 tbsp Semolina (Rava)

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

3 tspn ghee or Vegetable Oil

5 tbsp Thick Yogurt 

4 tbsp Warm Water

3 cups Oil

Salt as per taste

Sugar- 1/2 tspn

Method:
1. Sieve flour, semolina, salt and Baking Powder. Add yogurt, oil  warm water.
2. Combine it with your fingers to knead. Knead for 15 to 20 mins till it shapes into a smooth ball. The more you knead the better your dough would be.
3. Now cover this with a damp cloth and keep in a humid place for 2 hours.
4. Make medium sized balls; about 2 inches and roll them with a roller. Dust some flour before rolling.Shape them into round shape as you make rotis but keep the thickness slightly thicker than a roti. You can roll them into triangular shape too, it looks great. Please don't cut them with cookie cutter or any metal; as it won't puff then. Just take a small ball and roll it round Or oval individually.
5. Now take a deep-bottomed pan and add oil. Wait until oil is fuming. Now gently place each bhatura and fry one by one. Keep the gas on medium heat. Give some pressure with the back of spoon while frying bhaturas. Flip and fry both sides such that  it should be light golden brown. Please don't burn them.
6. Place the fried bhaturas on paper napkin to remove excess oil. Bhaturas taste great once hot so fry them just before eating.
                 Serve the Chhole with hot  Bhaturas along with some salad or raita.
                                                       MyTreat for you!! :-)