Family Favorite Chickpea Curry With Bhatura Bread Recipes

CHANNA BHATURA

Steps:

• Mix the flour, fenugreek and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add the milk until it comes together, then tip onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until you have a soft, pliable dough. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and set aside to rest for at least 2 hrs or overnight in the fridge.
• Meanwhile, strain the tea and discard the leaves. Tip in the chickpeas and leave to infuse for at least 1 hr.
• Melt the ghee in a large saucepan, then add the onions and cumin seeds. Fry over a low heat for 20 mins or until the onions are caramelised. Add the black cardamom and fry again briefly, then add the ginger, garlic and chillies, and cook until fragrant. Add the cinnamon, fenugreek, coriander, ginger, chilli and anardana (if using), and fry for 1 min.
• Tip in the tomatoes and tomato purée, and cook again until the tomatoes have broken down, about 20 mins. Add the turmeric and chickpeas along with the brewed tea. Sprinkle in the kala namak, pepper and a pinch of sea salt. Let it come to the boil, then turn down the heat to low and leave to simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 mins. Add more water if you would like the curry to be looser.
• Fill a large pan a third full with sunflower oil. Heat to 180C on a thermometer or until a cube of bread sizzles immediately when lowered in and browns within 30 seconds. Take golf ball-sized chunks of dough, roll into balls, then flatten and roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface until you have a saucer-sized disc, about ½cm thick. Gently lower into the hot oil with a slotted spoon and let it rise to the surface - it should puff up. Fry for 1-2 mins until golden, then drain on kitchen paper. Serve with the channa, red onion, a little yogurt and a sprinkling of coriander.

BUTTER CHICKPEA CURRY

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat; simmer until the potatoes are tender. Drain, and set aside.
• Warm oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir in curry powder, garam masala, ginger, cumin, and salt. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes, stirring. Pour in soup, cream, and chickpeas. Stir in potatoes. Simmer 5 minutes.

CHANNA MASALA (CHICKPEA CURRY)

Steps:

• Combine the tomatoes, about half the onion, the ginger, and rice flour in a blender; blend into a paste.
• Heat the oil and cumin seeds in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the cumin swells and turns golden brown. Cook the remaining onion in the hot oil for about 3 minutes. Stir the blended tomato mixture, garbanzo beans, curry powder, and salt into the onions; cover and cook until hot, about 5 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro to serve.

FAMILY FAVORITE CHICKPEA CURRY WITH BHATURA BREAD

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE CHICKPEA CURRY: In a large dutch oven or other large cooking vessel, preferably with a thick bottom, put the 5 Table. oil and the two diced onions. Stir-fry until the onions are medium brown.
• Add the serrano chilies and the minced ginger and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the 3 diced tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes.
• Add the ground coriander, ground cumin, cayenne powder, tamarind concentrate (or you could add lemon juice when the curry is done cooking), garam masala, black pepper, sugar, turmeric, cinnamon, bay leaves and salt. Cook for 2 more minutes. [I usually get these spices ready in a small bowl before cooking, so that they just need to be dumped in at this time.].
• Add the 3 cans of chickpeas and the water, and cook until the tomatoes are well cooked and you have reached the desired thickness. Add more water if necessary. At the end of the cooking time, do a taste test to make sure that the curry has enough salt and that the curry has enough of a sour taste. If you are worried about the heat level, add less of the serrano chilies and the cayenne, you can always add more spice at the end if the curry needs it.
• TO MAKE THE BHATURA BREAD: Take the 3 dry yeast packets (each packet should be .25 oz or sometimes labeled 1/4 oz. each) and put them into a medium-size bowl. Add the 1/2 cup lukewarm water. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl put the six cups of all-purpose flour (or use maida), the 6 Tablespoons oil, 1 Tablespoon sugar, and 2 teaspoons salt. Mix well.
• Add the 2 cups plain yogurt (this is not runny yogurt but the thick kind that you buy at American grocery stores. Blend.
• Once the yeast is bubbly (if it isn't bubbly, the yeast may have gotten old or your water was too hot and you killed the yeast so you will have to redo it.), stir the yeast into the flour/yogurt mixture. Knead until elastic. Add more yogurt or flour as needed until the dough is not too wet nor too dry.
• Set the dough aside for 4-5 hours to raise.
• When ready to make, roll out dough pieces into a very large poori shape, and deep fry. Drain on paper towels.
• Be sure that you deep fry these bhatura bread pieces in a dutch oven so that the bread has plenty of room to balloon up when fried.
• This is excellent served with a raita or seasoned yogurt on the side.
• Cooking time is for the chickpea curry only.

BHATURA - BHATUREY - FRIED BREAD

Steps:

• Put the flour, baking powder, salt and yogurt in a large mixing bowl. Wash your hands well and dry thoroughly.
• Mix the ingredients together by hand and knead till a smooth dough is formed. Cover with cling film and keep in a warm place for 5-6 hours at least.
• After 5-6 hours, the dough will have risen and become fluffy. Remove the cling film and punch the dough to remove extra air from it. Knead again till the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Divide the dough into several equal-sized balls.
• Set up the cooking oil to heat, in a large, deep pan, on medium heat. Also prepare a plate or large bowl to place the cooked Bhaturas for draining, by lining it with paper towels.
• Lightly flour a clean, dry rolling surface and place one ball on it. Roll out into a circular shape of 6" diameter. You could also roll the ball into a long oval shape of the same size.
• To test if the oil is hot, drop a small ball of dough into it. If the ball quickly rises to the surface oil the oil and sizzles, the oil is ready.
• Once the oil has reached the correct temperature, add a rolled-out Bhatura to it gently, to avoid splashing hot oil. In 5-7 seconds, turn gently with a slotted spoon.
• Wait another 5-7 seconds and press gently in the center of the Bhatura with the slotted spoon. This will cause tit to puff up like a ball! Keep frying and turning gently till both sides are golden.
• Drain and remove from oil when done and keep in bowl/ plate on paper towels.