As I type this, the weather is cold, damp and chucking it down with rain. Let’s just say for summer it isn’t quite what you’d expect however it keeps reminding me of Indian monsoons. Watching the rain hit my window pane while I’m sat indoors, scoffing hot pakoras and chai and generally indulging in some of my favourite foods to bring along that warmth, spice and good old comfort feeling. Chole Bhature most definitely ticks all those boxes and then some!
Spicy warm chickpea curry slow cooked to perfection with a slight pomegranate tang & heat from fresh ginger and chillies. All scooped up with bhaturas; a typical north Indian deep fried bread made with plain flour, baking powder and a leavening agent (in some cases yoghurt) of sort for that pillowy soft puffy bhatura.
For my spicy chick pea curry I cook it the way my mum does and most Indian households will have their take on it. I always add a teabag whilst cooking the chickpeas. A very common practice in Punjabi households in India. It lends a rich smoky flavour to the curry in addition to a deep colour which enhances the overall result of the curry. If you can get hold of loose tea leaves they might be worth adding as some grades of tea can have a stronger colour. Just a teaspoon or so of loose tea tied in a muslin while simmering the chick peas.
Pomegranate is another gorgeous addition to this dish. I use the powdered variety lending a tangy flavour to the dish. If you can’t get hold of it you can use a smaller quantity of pomegranate molasses or even some tamarind paste which have that required sour quality along with a dark colour.
This isn’t an instant curry so the longer you cook the chickpeas the better your curry will taste. A thick spiced gravy with deep fried puris of bhatura and some crispy onion rings perks up any rainy day.
