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Channa bhatura

Channa bhatura served in a bowl with Indian breads

Channa bhatura

Name: Channa bhatura
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 400g self-raising flour plus extra for dusting; small bunch fresh fenugreek or coriander, finely chopped; 250-300ml lukewarm milk; sunflower oil for deep-frying; 2 tsp black loose-leaf tea brewed in 1 litre hot water; 2 x 400g cans chickpeas drained and rinsed; 2 tbsp ghee; 2 onions finely chopped; 1 tbsp cumin seeds; 3 black cardamom pods bruised; thumb-sized piece ginger peeled and grated; 3 garlic cloves finely chopped; 2 green chillies finely chopped; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground fenugreek; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder; 1 tbsp anardana; 3 tomatoes finely chopped; 1 tbsp tomato purée; 1 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp kala namak; ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper; sliced red onion and yogurt, to serve; ½ small bunch of coriander leaves picked, plus extra to serve

Ravinder Bhogal

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Serves 4

More effort

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 1 hr

plus 2 hrs rising and infusing

A star rating of 5 out of 5.3 ratingsRate

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Serve up a hearty Indian veggie chickpea curry served with fried bread. The addition of spices such as black cardamom impart an irresistible smoky note

Freezable

Vegetarian

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

400g self-raising flour

plus extra for dusting
small bunch fresh fenugreek

or coriander, finely chopped
250-300ml lukewarm milk
sunflower oil

for deep-frying

For the channa

2 tsp black loose-leaf tea

brewed in 1 litre hot water
2 x 400g cans chickpeas

drained and rinsed
2 tbsp ghee
2 onions

finely chopped
1 tbsp cumin seeds
3 black cardamom pods

bruised
thumb-sized piece ginger

peeled and grated
3 garlic cloves

finely chopped
2 green chillies

finely chopped
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground fenugreek
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tbsp anardana
3 tomatoes

finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp kala namak
½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
sliced red onion

and yogurt, to serve
½ small bunch of coriander

leaves picked, plus extra to serve

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Nutrition: Per serving

kcal789
fat27g
saturates8g
carbs106g
sugars11g
fibre15g
protein24g
salt2.3g

Method

step 1

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.
step 2

Meanwhile, strain the tea and discard the leaves. Tip in the chickpeas and leave to infuse for at least 1 hr.
step 3

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.
step 4

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.
step 5

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.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, August 2019

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A star rating of 5 out of 5.3 ratings

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