Chole bhature pairs a rich, sour, darkly spiced chickpea curry with bhature, rounds of yogurt dough that puff into golden balloons the moment they touch hot oil. Punjab and eastern Uttar Pradesh both lay claim to its origins. Its fame was made in Delhi from the 1940s, at eateries opened by families who had come from Lahore after Partition, and it has been a fixture of the city ever since.

Today Delhi residents debate which shop makes the best version with a passion usually reserved for sporting rivalries, and every one of them is certain. It is mainly a breakfast dish, which tells you a great deal about the ambitions of a Delhi morning. The chickpeas get their deep color from a tea bag simmered with them, an old Punjabi trick, and their tang from dried mango powder. The bhature are surprisingly easy to make, and the first one that inflates in the pan is a small triumph, roughly equivalent to a clean start from pole.

The bhatura dough

Ingredients

• 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (40 g) fine semolina
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup (120 g) plain whole milk yogurt
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup (60 to 80 ml) warm water

Method

1. Mix the flour, semolina, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt in the bowl. Add the yogurt and oil and rub them in with your fingers, then add warm water a little at a time, mixing to a dough.
2. Knead for 5 to 6 minutes until smooth. Rub the dough with a few drops of oil, cover tightly and leave in a warm place for 2 hours.

The chole

Ingredients

• 2 cans (15 oz / 425 g each) chickpeas
• 2 cups (480 ml) water
• 1 black tea bag
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 black cardamom pod
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil or ghee
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 to 2 green chilies
• 1 cup (240 ml) tomato purée or crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or paprika
• 2 teaspoons chana masala spice blend
• 1 teaspoon amchur
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Method

1. Put the chickpeas, water, tea bag, bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 15 minutes. Squeeze out and discard the tea bag.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet or second pan over medium heat and add the cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add the onion and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring, until deep golden brown. Add the ginger, garlic and chilies and stir for 1 minute.
3. Add the tomato purée, turmeric, coriander and chili powder and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often.
4. Tip the masala into the chickpeas with their liquid. Add the chana masala, amchur and salt. Mash about a quarter of the chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken the sauce. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring now and then. Taste for salt and sourness, and scatter with cilantro.

Frying the bhature

Ingredients

• 4 cups (950 ml) neutral oil

Method

1. Divide the dough into 8 balls. Keep them covered.
2. Heat the oil in the pot to 360°F (180°C).
3. Oil the work surface lightly rather than flouring it. Roll a ball into an oval or round about 6 inches (15 cm) across and 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick, keeping it even with no thin spots.
4. Slide it gently into the oil, away from you. As it rises, press it lightly and repeatedly with the back of the slotted spoon so the oil washes over it. It will puff up within seconds. Fry 30 to 40 seconds, flip, and fry 20 to 30 seconds more.
5. Lift onto the paper towels. Roll the next one while the oil returns to temperature.

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