The origins of chole bhature can be traced back to the Middle East, where a similar dish with spiced chickpeas served with flatbread, found its way to India through ancient trade routes.

This Chole/Chana Masala recipe with warming spices will envelop you during chilly nights; it’s the kind of food that tastes of home, whether home is Amritsar or Arusha. 

From a spicy and dark-colored chole to golden and tangy flavored, most Indian households will have their own take on it. Traditionally amla /dried Indian gooseberry, black tea bags, and baking soda is used to get the deep dark color and tangy flavor of the gravy and cook the Garbanzo/Kabuli chana. I don’t like the taste of baking soda in chole (that’s the soapy taste in chickpeas in Indian restaurants) so I either cook them with just salt or use canned Garbanzo beans draining all the aquafaba and rinsing them thoroughly, I also don’t use tea bags and like the gravy to be a golden color not dark brown. 

My twist to my Mum’s recipe is that I use store bought MDH Tawa Masala powder since it has all the essential ingredients like, Amchur powder, Pomegranate powder, Kastoori methi etc. and it completely enhances the curry, it is closest to my Mum’s homemade powder, or make your own spice blend from Mum’s recipe which i have list below. 

Soak chickpeas overnight and make it the traditional way or use canned chickpeas to save time. 

This one-pot recipe for Chole Masala can be made in the Instant Pot/pressure cooker or stovetop.

If you’re looking to eat more plant-based meals that are delicious and filling, you should start with this chole masala. It is healthy, protein-rich, vegetarian, vegan and gluten free and I promise it will knock the chappals off from any local takeaway.

{Unlike the chole the bhatura is not gluten-free but can be made with 1:1 GF flour)

 Omit the ghee or use vegan butter to make this recipe vegan.

Ingredients:

*2 Cups Garbanzo beans/ Kabuli Chana – soak the chickpeas in 6 cups of tap water overnight.

Cotton muslin spice pouch filled with:

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 black cardamoms
• 6-8 whole cloves
• 3 teaspoons loose strong black tea or 2 tea bags
• 4 pieces of dried amla/ Indian gooseberries
• 1 teaspoon saunf/fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon anardana/dried pomegranate seeds
• ½ teaspoon of baking soda
• 2 teaspoon of salt

1. Discard the water in which the chickpeas have been soaking overnight, wash them thoroughly, and transfer to a pressure cooker or Instant Pot.
2. Add 3 cups of water and the spice pouch.
3. Cook in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot on Manual HIGH pressure for 10-15 minutes or until chickpeas are tender.
4. Remove the muslin bag, strain the water and use only the cooked chickpeas.

OR

I recommend using  2 cans of Trader Joe’s Organic Garbanzo Beans (15.5oz/ or regular Garbanzo beans 15 oz.) make sure whatever brand you use the beans are firm and not mushy.

For the Paste

½-cup red onion chopped

2 cups tomatoes chopped

2 Thai green chilies

1/2 inch or 1 tbsp. ginger

1 tablespoon garlic paste

For Chole Masala:

2 tbsp. oil or ghee (I used half of each- but leave out ghee for vegan option and use oil instead )

1/2 cup onion finely chopped 

1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste

1/4 teaspoon pinch of asafetida (omit to make this GF)

2 bay leaves

2 Thai hot peppers slit down the middle

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon red chili powder

2 teaspoon coriander- cumin powder (dry roast and crush it using a mortar/pestle)

1 tablespoon MDH Tawa masala powder

2 cup water or as required

1 teaspoon tomato paste- if needed if your tomatoes are not red and ripe.

1/2 cup yogurt – room temp.

1 teaspoon kastoori methi /dried fenugreek leaves 

1 teaspoon Pink Himalayan Salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder (optional)

¼ cup finely chopped cilantro leaves

Julienned ginger and onion rings

1/2 lemon –juiced (I used lemon instead of amchur powder)

Method:

1. Using a blender prepare the paste of onion, tomato, hot pepper, garlic and ginger
2. Turn the Instant Pot on the SAUTÉ mode and heat the olive oil and ghee.
3. Add the cumin seeds, once they start to pop, add the diced onion, bay leaves, asafoetida, and Thai hot peppers and fry until the onions turn pink/translucent.
4. Add the prepared tomato paste to this and sauté well, and add the MDH Tawa Masala Powder (or homemade spice mix).
5. Add the turmeric, coriander –cumin powder, chili powder, salt to taste, ginger, and garlic pastes into the mixture (add tomato paste if the fresh tomatoes are not red and ripe).
6. Stir everything well and sauté until the oil separates.
7. Slowly add the water to loosen the mixture and prevent sticking, and the canned chickpeas (wash the canned chickpeas a few times to remove all the aquafaba or strain the home boiled beans).
8. Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and set it to the bean/chili mode. Cook for 15 minutes, or cook on the stovetop for 20 minutes.
9. Let the pressure release naturally. After the valve drops, open the lid.
10. Whip up the yogurt with a tablespoon of water, and add it to the chickpeas.
11. Then crush the dried kastoori methi between your palms and add to the chickpeas along with the garam masala if using.
12. Simmer the chole 5-10 minutes to thicken the gravy (or use a potato masher or a wooden spoon, mash the chickpeas slightly)
13. If needed, adjust the salt, and add a bit more MDH Tawa masala.
14. Garnish chole with ginger juliennes, finely chopped cilantro, and onion rings.
15. Serve with hot bhature or rice for a Gluten-Free option, and lemon wedges.

Mum’s Chole Masala Spice Mix

1 cinnamon stick

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

4 tablespoon dry coriander seeds

2 dry red Kashmiri chilies

4 cloves

1 teaspoon whole black pepper

4 cardamoms- peeled and seeds removed

2 Black cardamom peeled and seeds removed

3 bay leaves

Lightly roast all spices about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir frequently and make sure not to burn. Transfer the roasted spices in a dish and allow them to cool down completely.

Add the spices to a spice grinder and make a fine powder. 

If you don’t have all the spices then just use the MDH Tawa Masala Mix.

What if I forgot to soak the chickpeas overnight?
Use preboiled garbanzo beans instead.



Here is a link to the Bhature recipe