Hey there, being from Delhi I grew up eating chole it is the simplest way to make chole. Few spices but (chickpeas) bhature (kind of plain flour bread). I can eat chole rice or chole bhature any time or as many times in a week. We love this so much that sometimes I really feel that we are obsessed with them… maybe you guys are thinking that I’m exaggerating but I am not.
You visit Delhi you, will every corner you will get small vendors selling chole rice or chole bhature. But even now, whenever I go to Delhi, I like to have Sitaram wale chola bhatura …. Believe they are in heaven.
So Rashmi and I thought to share our recipe with you all. There are hundreds of ways to make chole. Today’s recipe is my mom’s recipe. For me, it’s the simplest way of making chole. With few spices but chole turns out so flavourful. These small things if you take care of them your chole will really come great.
First of all while boiling chole, always put whole spices while boiling this will induce the flavors completely in it. Secondly, just put a spoonful of ghee in them while boiling this will make your chole soft but your skin will not come out. Put tea leaves in a wrapped cloth and once you open the cooker after boiling done take out the tea leaves pouch otherwise it will add too much flavor to tea which can hinder your chole taste. We are using tea leaves just for color and not for flavor. Some people use amla also for color but personally, I like more tea leaves as amla gives little pungent flavor to chole.
Most important when you are cooking chole little mash them not completely mash them try to mash a few chole. It will give chole a smooth texture which is very important otherwise your chole will look more watery rather creamy.
Delhi’s Signature Chole
- Whole spices
- 4 cloves
- 2- inch cinnamon
- 2 black cardamom
- 2-3 green cardamom
- 2 Whole dry red chili
- 2 tsp Anardana
- 2-3 Bay leaves
- 5-6 Black peppercorn
- 2 cup Chickpeas (overnight soaked)
- 3 Tomatoes (puree)
- 2 Onions (chopped)
- ¼ tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 3 tsp Dhaniya powder
- 1 tsp Red chilli powder
- 1 tsp black salt
- 2 tsp Kasuri methi
- ½ tsp Amchur powder
- Salt to taste
- ¼ tsp Hing (asafoetida)
- 4-5 Green chillies (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp tea leaves
- 2 inch ginger (jullien’s)
- 3 tbsp Ghee
- Water for boiling
- Put chickpeas, 2 cloves, 2-3 black peppercorns,2 Bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and green chili. Take tea leaves and wrap them in a small muslin cloth, tie it nicely so that leaves don’t come out, but this tea leaves the bag is in the cooker. Add the appropriate amount of water, chickpeas should be dipped nicely in water. Cover the cooker with a lid and keep it boiling at medium flame. Take at least 4-5 whistles. Now open the cooker and check if chickpeas are boiled or not. If not boiled then again boil it for a few minutes.
- Till chickpeas get boiled, Take a medium size pan and put ghee in that, let it get a little warm, now add all leftover whole spices, Cumin seeds, dry red chili, and hing (asafoetida). Don’t put anardana at this stage.
- Add chopped onions, saute them till they get a little soft. Now add the tomato puree to it and mix them well. Cook the pasta till it releases ghee. Once you see that ghee is released, add the spices like salt, red chili powder, and anardana.
- Once the chickpeas get boiled, take out some chickpeas separately, like 2-3 tbsp. Grind these chickpeas in the paste. Add this paste to the tomato-onion mixture and again cook it for a few minutes. Now add leftover boiled chickpeas to the pan containing tomato mixture. Let them boil for 10-15 minutes.
- Add cumin powder, garam masala, and kasoori methi in it. Let them boil for a few more minutes. Your chole is ready to eat.
