Channa or Chole Bhatura is a recipe which requires a bit of planning as the Channa has to be soaked for 6-7 hours and the dough for the Bhatura also requires to be prepared and set aside for 3-4 hours!!!
However, if you are preparing the dish for a party, the channa masala can be prepared in advance, which will help you concentrate on the bhatura alone!!!!
Channa or Chole (Chickpeas) is rich in zinc, protein and good for diabetics as it has a very low glycemic index.
Channa is low in fat like most lentils.
There are two popular varieties – one which is dark brown in colour (Garbanzo beans) and the Channa used in this recipe is the pale brown one, which is also known as Kabuli Channa.
Since Channa takes a longer time to cook, it has to be soaked for over 6 hours or overnight – therefore this dish cannot be cooked without adequate planning!!
My preference is to pressure cook the soaked channa for best and quick results
Flour made out of Channa called the Chick pea or Channa flour is also used for the preparation of some Indian snacks and other popular cuisine.
Bhatura is deep fried bread prepared with Plain or Self Raising flour and tastes delicious with Chole or Channa Masala. It is a wholesome dish and is quite filling. The boys in our household devour it!! As this combination is very popular it is a 2 step process – The first step is to make the Channa or Chole Masala and the second step is to prepare the Bhatura and serve it hot with the Channa or Chole Masala
Recipe for the Bhatura to make approximately 8
3 Cups Self Raising Flour OR
3 Cups Plain Flour AND
½ Tsp Bi-Carb Soda
4 Tbs Oil
¼ Yoghurt
Water (enough to make a soft but firm dough)
A pinch of Salt
To Deep Fry
2-3 Cups Oil
Preparation of the Bhatura
Mix the flour, yoghurt and salt, adding the water little by little to make it into a firm dough.
Add the oil, knead it thoroughly to make the dough really soft and set aside for 3-4 hours
Divide the portions of dough into 8 big lemon sized balls
Roll out each individual portion of the dough into 5-6 inch in diameter
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan
The oil should be hot for each bhatura to puff up fully.
Drain on a kitchen paper towel
The recipe for the Channa Masala is on this website!!
Channa or Chole Masala
Serve the bhatura with hot channa or chole masala with 4-5 pieces of chopped onion and a little juice of a lime
Note: Do not roll out the bhatura too thin around the edges as the bhatura may not puff up!