Restaurant-Style Chole Bhature Recipe

This iconic Punjabi dish is all about fluffy deep-fried bhature paired with spicy, tangy chole. The combination is a crowd favourite at breakfast or lunch, and while it looks fancy, it is surprisingly simple to make at home. I grew up eating chole bhature on lazy Sunday mornings, and the smell of puris puffing up in hot oil still makes me nostalgic.

If you have never made bhature before, do not worry. The dough comes together easily, and the chole tastes even better when made a day ahead. This recipe gives you soft, pillowy bhature and chickpeas cooked in a robust, restaurant-style masala that everyone will love.

What is Chole Bhature?

Chole bhature is a classic North Indian dish where spiced chickpea curry is served with large, soft, deep-fried breads. The chole are tangy and warming, cooked with onions, tomatoes, and a blend of aromatic spices. Bhature are made from a leavened dough, which makes them puff beautifully when fried.

This dish is a staple at dhabas and Punjabi restaurants across India. It is rich, filling, and absolutely delicious. You will often find it served with pickled onions, green chutney, and a wedge of lemon.

About my Authentic Recipe

This chole bhature recipe uses a mix of whole and ground spices to build deep flavour. The chole are simmered slowly with tea bags, which give them a dark colour and subtle tannin richness, just like you get at good roadside dhabas. The bhature dough includes yogurt and a pinch of sugar, which helps create that perfect soft texture and slight tang.

The key technique here is the bhuna process for the chole, where you cook the masala until the oil separates. This step is non-negotiable if you want restaurant-level taste. For the bhature, resting the dough is important. It helps the gluten relax and makes rolling easier, and the breads puff up better when fried.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This recipe delivers authentic dhaba-style flavour without any fancy ingredients. The chole can be made ahead and taste even better the next day. The bhature are soft, airy, and way better than store-bought versions. Plus, this dish works beautifully for weekend brunches or when you want to impress guests with minimal effort.

Ingredients and Substitutes

For the chole, you need dried white chickpeas soaked overnight. Canned chickpeas work in a pinch, but they lack the firm bite of dried ones. Use amchur powder for tanginess, but you can swap it with a squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

For the bhature, plain flour and yogurt are essential. If you do not have yogurt, use buttermilk and reduce the water slightly. Baking powder and a tiny bit of baking soda help the dough puff up. You can replace half the plain flour with whole wheat flour for a slightly healthier version, though the texture will be denser.

Ghee or oil for frying the bhature. I prefer refined oil because it has a high smoke point, but ghee adds lovely flavour if you want richness.

Variations

Vegan chole bhature – Replace yogurt in the bhature dough with thick coconut yogurt or cashew cream. Use oil instead of ghee.

Protein boost – Add boiled paneer cubes or soya chunks to the chole in the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Spice it down – Skip the green chillies and reduce red chilli powder to make this kid-friendly.

Baked bhature – Brush rolled bhature with oil and bake at 220°C until puffed and golden. They will not be as soft, but the dish becomes lighter.

Instant pot chole – Pressure cook soaked chickpeas with spices for 20 minutes on high, then follow the masala tempering steps on sauté mode.

Expert Tips for Chole Bhature

Add a tea bag or two while boiling the chickpeas. This gives the chole a rich, dark colour and a slight depth of flavour that mimics the long-simmered dhaba versions.

Do not skip resting the bhature dough. At least 2 hours is ideal. This makes rolling easier and helps the dough puff up beautifully when fried.

Roll the bhature evenly but not too thin. About 4-5 mm thickness works best. Too thin and they turn crispy, too thick and they stay doughy inside.

Fry bhature on medium-high heat. If the oil is not hot enough, they absorb too much oil and turn greasy. Test with a small piece of dough first.

Press gently on the bhature with a slotted spoon while frying to encourage puffing. Do not press too hard or they will deflate.

If your chole taste flat, add a pinch of black salt and a squeeze of lemon at the end. This brightens the whole dish.

Make chole a day ahead if possible. The spices meld overnight and the flavour improves significantly.

Restaurant-Style Chole Bhature Recipe (Easy Punjabi Classic)

Learn to make authentic chole bhature at home with soft, fluffy bhature and spicy chickpea curry. Perfect for weekend brunch or special meals.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Soaking Time 8 hours hrs

Total Time 9 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine North Indian, Punjabi

Servings 4

Calories 520 kcal

Ingredients

  

For Chole

• 1 cup dried white chickpeas kabuli chana, soaked overnight
• 2 tea bags
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 medium tomatoes pureed
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp amchur powder dry mango powder
• 1 tsp chole masala store-bought or homemade
• 2 green chillies slit
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves chopped

For Bhature

• 2 cups plain flour maida
• 1/2 cup thick yogurt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp oil for dough
• Warm water as needed about 1/4 cup
• Oil for deep frying

Instructions

 

For Chole

• Drain the soaked chickpeas and add them to a pressure cooker with 3 cups water, tea bags, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 15-18 minutes on medium heat or until the chickpeas are soft but not mushy. Remove tea bags and set aside. Keep the cooking water.
• Heat oil in a deep kadhai or pan. Add cumin seeds and bay leaves. Once they splutter, add chopped onions and sauté on medium heat until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.
• Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears. Add pureed tomatoes and cook on medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the oil separates from the masala, about 10-12 minutes.
• Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric, and salt. Stir for 1 minute, then add the cooked chickpeas along with 1 cup of the cooking water.
• Add garam masala, amchur powder, chole masala, and slit green chillies. Mix well and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The gravy should thicken and coat the chickpeas nicely. Mash a few chickpeas with the back of a spoon to thicken the gravy naturally.
• Adjust salt and spice levels. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and turn off the heat. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.

For Bhature

• In a large bowl, mix plain flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add yogurt and 1 tablespoon oil. Mix well with your hands.
• Gradually add warm water, a little at a time, and knead into a soft, smooth dough. The dough should be slightly sticky but manageable. Knead for 5-6 minutes until elastic.
• Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for at least 2 hours at room temperature. The dough will become softer and easier to roll.
• After resting, divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll each into a smooth ball. Lightly oil your palms if the dough feels sticky.
• Heat oil for deep frying in a kadhai or deep pan on medium-high heat. The oil should be hot but not smoking.
• Take one dough ball, flatten it slightly, and roll it into a 15-18 cm oval or round disc, about 4-5 mm thick. Do not roll too thin.
• Gently slide the rolled bhatura into the hot oil. It should start puffing immediately. Press gently with a slotted spoon to help it puff up completely. Fry for 30-40 seconds on each side until golden brown.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Serve bhature hot.

Notes

Use a heavy-bottomed kadhai or deep pan for even frying. A deep fryer works great too.

You can refrigerate the bhature dough overnight. Bring it to room temperature before rolling and frying.

Leftover chole can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for a month. Reheat gently with a splash of water.

If you do not have chole masala, use an extra 1/2 teaspoon garam masala and a pinch of black salt instead.

For a richer gravy, add 2 tablespoons of cream or cashew paste in the last 5 minutes of cooking the chole.

Always fry bhature just before serving. They lose their fluff and turn chewy when they cool down.

Test the oil temperature by dropping a small piece of dough. It should rise immediately without browning too fast.

Common Issues and Solutions

Chole are too hard – This means they were not cooked long enough. Pressure cook for another 5 minutes or simmer with extra water until tender.

Chole gravy is too watery – Simmer uncovered on medium heat until it thickens. Mash a few chickpeas into the gravy for a creamier texture.

Bhature did not puff – The oil was not hot enough, or the dough was rolled too thin. Make sure the oil is at the right temperature and roll bhature thicker next time.

Bhature is too oily – The oil temperature was too low. Fry on medium-high heat and drain well on paper towels immediately after frying.

Dough is too sticky – Add a tablespoon of flour at a time and knead gently. Do not add too much, or the bhature will turn hard.

Chole lack flavour – Taste and adjust salt, amchur, and garam masala at the end. A squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of black salt can lift the flavours instantly.

Serving and Storage Suggestions

Serve hot chole bhature with sliced onions, green chutney, pickled carrots, and a wedge of lemon on the side. The contrast of tangy chole with soft, fluffy bhature is unbeatable. This dish works beautifully for a weekend brunch or a festive lunch. Pair it with lassi or masala chai for a complete North Indian experience.

Store leftover chole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water. Bhature are best eaten fresh, but you can store fried ones in the fridge for a day and reheat in a hot tawa for a few seconds on each side.

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