Puri Chole

When you think of breakfast, lunch or dinner, one dish definitely comes to mind and that is Poori or Puri. Whether it is eaten with Chole or Aloo (Potato) it always leaves wonderful feeling in our taste buds. For some reason, some people address Chole as Channa and so this dish could also be called as Puri Channa. A variety of Puri’s could be made ranging from Palak puri, masala puri to the simple and most popular version of atta or wheat puri. Today we made the simple version.

For Puri or Bread: (Makes approximately 20 puri’s)

1 - 1 & 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Milk to bind
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
1 tsp of Ajwain seeds

Mix the flour with milk, salt and seeds such that dough has the consistency of almost a pizza dough. Make small balls from the dough.

Wheat flour made into small balls for rolling and making puri

Roll out the dough into 5″ inch round. In the mean while, heat oil such that if you insert a wooden spoon end, the air bubbles start to form around the spoon. Now drop the rolled out dough slowly into the oil. Within seconds, the dough fluffs and rises.

Puri frying

Now, turn the half cooked dough to cook on the other side or until golden brown. Your hot Puri is ready! See this was simple, isn’t it?

For Chole or Chickpeas:

1 - 1 & 1/2 cup dried Chickpeas or Garbanzo beans soaked overnight, pressure cooked until soft or 2 canned beans - 12 oz each
1 medium size onion chopped finely
1 green chillie chopped finely or adjust the heat as per your taste
2 medium size tomatoes finely chopped or2 - 3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp Garam Masala powder
1 - 1 & 1/2 tbsp Dhania or Coriander powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp red chili powder or per your taste
1 tbsp Meethi (tamarind- date) chutney
A few cloves, 1 Cinnamon stick, a few whole black peppercorns.
Oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
Salt to taste

Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds until they splutter. Now add the cloves, Cinnamon stick, peppercorns, onions, green chillies and saute well.

Onions saute-ing

Add the spices mentioned and saute. Once aroma of the spices is released, add the tomato paste, little water and saute well.

After adding tomato paste

Now add the chickpeas and water such that water almost touches the surface of the chickpeas. Allow it to boil. The water will start to thicken after a few minutes.

After adding chole or chickpeas

Add salt, meethi chutney and taste. Garnish with cilantro if needed. Serve hot with puri’s and awaken your good old memories from Mom’s kitchen.

Puri with Chole - my entry to My Legume Love Affair

NOTE: If you would like to make your own Meethi (Tamarind-Date) chutney, it’s very simple. Mix tamarind paste from a 8oz can with 10 dates pitted and run it in a blender with some water. Add some jaggery to this. If you do not find jaggery, use brown sugar instead as per your taste. Add 1 - 2 tsp red chili powder, 1 - 2 tsp salt, 1 - 2 tsp roasted cumin powder and bring it a boil until you get that syrupy consistency. In the end add some golden raisins or kishmish.