Chole Bhatura

This is one of my all time favorite dish and it consists of chickpeas cooked in a delicious sauce served with a crunchy warm puffed bread. This specific recipe comes from Varanasi.

Ingredients- (for two good sized servings)

1 onion

2 green chilies

1 tomato

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1 teaspoon fresh granted garlic

1 and 1/2 cup white flour

1 tablespoon curd/yogurt

1 teaspoon masala

Salt and turmeric (about 1 teaspoon) to taste

1 cup chickpeas (from a can is fine, or soaked over night if dried.. if you are using a can you may want to add 1/4-1/2 cup more chickpeas)

1 cup water

The Chickpeas Sauce (the chole part)

- Saute the onion, green chilies and ginger and garlic in a pan with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of oil

- Add masala, tomato, salt and turmeric

- Then add chickpeas and water

- Bring to a boil, until the consistency is only slightly watery and the taste is good, then set aside

Bhatura-

- Mix flour and 1 teaspoon oil with yogurt and mix. Add water to form a dough.

- Kneed for 2-3 minutes

- Break into small balls. Roll the balls out until they are about the size of a plate, should be as thin as you can get them without breaking the dough

- Heat oil in a pan. The oil should be at least 3-4 inches deep.

- Fry the dough in the oil for about 30 seconds. It should puff up dramatically. Press the dough down underneath the oil to increase the puff.

- Remove

Combine the Chole and the Bhatura and enjoy!