Dilliwale Chole Bhature recipe | Learn how to make famous North Indian Street Food, Delhi Style Chole Bhature

Table of Contents

About the Recipe
What is Chole Bhature
More Street Food Recipes
How to make Dilliwale Chole Bhature
- How to get the characteristic color of Chana masala that we get in Halwai shops
- Stepwise pics to make Delhi Style Chole Bhature
Recipe Card For Halwai Style Chole
Chole (Dilliwale Chole Bhature)
Recipe Card for Bhatura
Bhatura (Dilliwale Chole Bhature)

About the Recipe

Today I am here with a very popular and one of my favorite dish..CHOLE BHATURE!!!

North Indians, especially from Delhi and nearby regions of U.P, Punjab can have Chole Bhature at any time of the day. It is one the favorite street food or brunch item.

In mornings especially on weekends, you can see people queuing at shops selling Chole Bhature. I love Chole Bhature. Mom made these especially on weekends but not very frequently to avoid the fried food. It was more of Kadhi Chawal/Rice( in Summers), Chole-Rice or Rajma-Rice or Mix. Vegetable Pulao or Aloo Matar ki Tehri(in winters) Sundays at our home. But whenever she made Bhaturas we totally loved the brunch. It was used to a kind of treat for weekends.

While living in Delhi I tasted Chole Bhature at some of the best places there.. INA market, Lajpat Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Connaught place or any outlet of Haldiram (famous restaurant chain). I don't make this often as deep-fried Bhature are quite heavy on the stomach. But since I and my kids also love it, I make these, once in 3-4 months or for some special occasions.

What is Chole Bhature

Bhatura is a deep-fried Indian bread, made with leavened all-purpose flour/maida (traditional)/whole wheat flour and Chloe or Chana Masala is a spicy and tangy curry served with it.

You can make Chole in so many different ways.. like this Dhaniya Chole (with fresh coriander masala) , Pindi Chole(rustic Chole curry with no onion garlic) , Chole/Chana Masala served with rice.

CHOLE is chickpeas curry served with Bhautra and is made in Indian spices, with or without onion and tomatoes.

For BHATURA is deep fried puffy bread made with all purpose flour. But I use Whole Wheat Flour(WWF) when I make for my family.. Here in the recipe I have added 1/2 cup of All purpose flour-APF , for the readers who like bhatura made with APF, to give it the Halwai wala touch. You can omit APF and use WWF .

Bhatura dough is leavened with yeast or curd, baking soda, and baking powder. The kneaded dough is kept for 2-3 hrs during summers and 5-6 hrs in winters.

Popular combination with Chole is Bhatura, but Jeera Rice/Steamed Rice and Kulchas(Bread Kulcha or Amritsari Aloo Kulcha) can be equally enjoyed with CHOLE MASALA. Chole masala a simple curry made with onion tomato masala and is best enjoyed with rice, I have a separate post for that Chole/Chana Masala.

More Street Food Recipes

Street Food from Other parts of India

Pav Bhaji, Misal Pav, Thukpa, Medu Vada, Kutchi Dabeli, Moradabadi Dal Chaat, Sev Poori, Bhel Poori, Mumbai's Tawa Pulao

Other festive recipes from the blog- Bedmi Poori, Rassewale Aloo Tamatar, Dal Baati, Rajasthani Pyaaz Ki Kachori , Matar ki Kachori, Dal Ke Pakore, Bhandare wale Aloo

Some Indian Bread Recipes from the blog

Sheermal, Laccha Paratha, Amritsari Aloo Kulcha, Pav(Indian dinner Rolls), Aloo Paratha

How to make Dilliwale Chole Bhature

Here in this post I am giving the recipe of Chole that is served in Delhi sweet/shops with Bhaturas. Call it Dilliwale Chole or Halwai wale Chole. This recipe will take you to the Delhi lanes where people queue outside shops to get a plate of this popular street food from Delhi.

Chickpeas or Kabuli Chana or Garbanzo beans are used to prepare curry. You can use canned chickpeas also in the recipe. But I prefer to boil chickpeas with whole spices.

How to get the characteristic color of Chana masala that we get in Halwai shops

For the characteristic color of Chole/Chickpeas I use pomegranate peel or Amla/Indian Gooseberry, while boiling Chole. Usually people also use tea bags, but since I make it for kids so I avoid tea bags.

If you want you can use can use 1 tea bag . Dried amla can also be added for the color. No need to add tea bag if you are using pomegranate peel or amla.

For making curry, we use special spice mix known as Chole Masala. Please check the recipe card for the ingredients and details on how to make Chole Masala or Chana Spice mix

Stepwise pics to make Delhi Style Chole Bhature

Boil Chole/Chickpeas with whole dry spices and pomegranate peel

Recipe Card For Halwai Style Chole

Chole (Dilliwale Chole Bhature)

Swati

Learn how to make spicy and tangy Chole/Chickpea Curry with Bhature, North Indian popular street food.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Chickpea Soaking time 6

Course Breakfast/Brunch

Cuisine Indian North Indian, Punjabi

Servings

Equipment

Pressure cooker
Pan for preparing curry
Colander for separating boiled chickpeas and water
Mixing Bowls
Ladle
Knife

Ingredients

For Boiling Chickpeas

250 gm Dried Chickpeas
Salt as per taste

Sabut Garam Masala / Dry Whole Spices to be added with chickpeas

1-2 Tej Patta /Bay Leaves
Dalchini/Cinnamon Stick small
4-5 Laung (Cloves)
4-5 Black Peppercorns
2 Kali Elaichi( Big Cardamom)

For Curry

1 Onions medium sized
2 Tomatoes Pureed medium sized
4 tbsp Curd
1" Ginger piece
2-3 tsp Chole/ Chana Masala(Store bought or Homemade*)
2 + 1 tbsp Desi Ghee(Indian Clarified Butter)/ Oil(any)--

Homemade Chole/Chana Masala or Spice Mix

1 tsp Coriander Powder
½ tsp Cumin Powder
½-1 tsp Red Chilli Powder add as required
½ tsp Amchur Powder(Dry Mango Powder)
1 tsp Anardana
¼ tbsp Soonth/ Dry Ginger Powder

Instructions

Make Chole/Chana Spice Mix

Mix all the dry masala/spices and with a mortar and pestle or mix in grinder and keep aside.

Boil Chole/Chickpeas

Soak Chickpeas/Chole overnight or 5-6 hrs.
To boil chickpeas drain the water from soaked chickpeas, add in a pressure cooker with enough fresh water to soak the Chole just an inch or two above, let it boil for a minute if froth gathers on top discard it.
Add the dry whole spices/ sabut masala and pomegranate peel./amla or tea bag. If you want you can tie whole spices in small muslin spice bag and add to cooker. Take out once chickpeas are boiled.
Add salt as per your taste.Close the pressure cooker lid and cook till 2-3 whistles and then for 5-10 minutes on low flame.
Cooked chickpeas should be soft and easily mashed with a spoon.
Discard the teabag or pomegranate peel. This takes around 15-20 minutes.
Drain chickpeas in a bowl/pan. Retain the water for later use.

Add Chole/Chana Spice mix to boiled Chickpeas

Prepare the tempering. In a pan, add desi ghee/oil, when oil is hot enough, add cumin seeds. Let it crackle. Desi ghee gives a unique aroma and taste to the dish. I have used desi ghee, you can use any oil of your choice.
Add all the mixed dry masala/spice mix. Roast it for few seconds and add to the Chole, mix it well coating Chole with masala.
Cover it and keep aside.
Many people add 1-2 potato while boiling Chole that I don't do as my folks don't like potatoes with Chole. If you want, add a medium peeled potato while boiling chole/chickpeas. Once you drain the Chickpeas water, mash lightly the boiled potato and add with chole/chickpeas to the tempering.

Make Curry for Chole

In another pan, add 1 tbsp of oil/ghee, add little cumin seeds, let it crackle.
Add chopped onion, fry till it is light brown.
Add tomato puree(grind ginger with tomato), cook for a minute then add curd and keep mixing it till it mixes with onion-tomato masala. Before adding curd beat it nicely to smooth consistency.
Cook the masala really well till oil/ghee separates. Add Chole to it and mix nicely. Add chole/chickpea water . Mash some chole with a ladle or wooden spoon and let it cook for 20 minutes on low flame.
Adjust the water if you feel the chole are too dry, also adjust the amount salt and the dry chana masala or spice level as per your taste. Use boiled chole water that we retained.
After 20 minutes switch off the flame and keep the Chole covered. It helps to fully absorb the masala/spices and enhances the flavour.
Reheat when ready to serve. Add some water if Chole curry thickens. We don't need watery curry for this but too dry Chole won't also go well with Bhature.

Notes

250gm of dried chickpeas are almost equal to 400 gm of boiled chickpeas.

You can use 2 cans of 15 oz which will give about 400 gm of chickpeas after draining the water from chickpeas.

All the whole spices and spice powders are available at Indian grocery store outside of India.

For Bhature I have used a mix of Whole Wheat Flour and All purpose Flour. You can use only one flour also as per your preferences.

Do not use very sour dahi/yogurt to add in curry. It will increase the tanginess of curry.

To reduce the tanginess of curry if you feel it is a bit more, then add 1/2 tsp of sugar and 1 tbsp of roasted chickpea flour/besan to it.

Keyword Chole Bhature

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How to make fluffy Bhatura with Whole Wheat Flour

I have used a combination of whole wheat flour/atta, all-purpose flour/maida and semolina/sooji, you can use any either whole wheat or all-purpose. Adding semolina makes bhatura more crispy..

Ingredients for Bhature..Whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour(maida) and semolina(sooji), baking powder and baking soda, salt and sugar. Sugar not in pic.added later

Serve hot Bhatura with spicy chatpate (tangy) Chole, onions, pickle(carrots or mango), enjoy the treat!!

Many people like to stuff Bhature with paneer(Indian Cottage Cheese) masala, I skip that part. Instead sometimes put some pickle masala in the dough to be rolled and make Bhatura. It gives a nice spicy touch to Bhatura. If you want to stuff dry Paneer masala in Bhatura, take some crumbled paneer, finely chopped coriander leaves, add some chaat masala and salt and use as stuffing.

It is best to have fresh, hot bhatura, as Bhaturas made with all-purpose flour tend to get chewy once cooled. Whole Wheat Bhatura remain soft, but it is best enjoyed with hot.

Recipe Card for Bhatura

Bhatura (Dilliwale Chole Bhature)

Swati

Fluffy puffed and crispy Bhature recipe

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Dough Resting time 4

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine North Indian, Punjabi