Do you ever think the diversity of India is shown in its food? Two famous foods from two extreme parts of India are proof of that, Chole Bhatura and Idli Sambar.
Chole Bhature is a combination of fried bread or puri with white chickpeas. You can find it on street foods accompanied with pickled carrot, green chili, onions, and achaar. Idli sambar is a nutritious breakfast you can’t replace with anything. You can have it at your dinner too.
For Bhatura or Fried Bread
- All-Purpose flour/Maida 2cups
- Sooji / Semolina 1/4cup
- Yoghurt ½ cup
- Baking Powder ¼ tsp
- Salt to taste
- Sugar ½ tsp
For Chole Masala
- Chole/Cheakpeas 1cup
- Oil 5tsp
- Cumin seeds 1tsp
- Whole Spices- Bay leaf, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, pomegranate seeds, and black cardamom
- Tea Bag
- Onions -2nos
- Ginger Garlic Paste 1 tbsp
- Chole Masala Powder 11/2 tbsp
- Powdered spices- Turmeric Powder, dried mango powder, coriander powder, red chili powder
- Tomato Puree – 2 tomatoes
- Salt to taste
- Ginger Juliennes
Step 1: Take flour, semolina, salt, sugar, baking powder, and little oil in a large mixing bowl, mix well
Step2: Add yogurt and using warm water knead a firm dough
Step 3: Cover the dough with a masculine wet cloth and leave it for 5 to 6 hours for better soft bhature
Step 4: Knead the dough divide it into 6 to 8 small balls and roll it into an oval shape
Step 5: For deep frying, take a pan and pour oil, let it heat, and deep fry the dough until turns golden in color
So your Bhatura is ready, next, we will see how to make chole or chickpeas curry.
Step 1: Soak chickpeas the previous night
Step 2: Next day morning, take a pressure cooker add chickpeas, tie the whole spices in a masculine cloth, add into it, take enough water and cook the chickpeas
Step 3: By the time chickpeas cook, take a pan and add oil to saute onion, green chili, and ginger garlic paste. Once it is done, add tomato puree and powder spices. Let the oil separate then add cooked chickpeas and salt, bring it to a boil.
Step 4: Cut some fresh coriander leaves, ginger juliennes and add them on top before serving
Idli Sambar
Idli is a steamed rice cake served with sambar and chutney. It is a healthy, comforting, and satisfying meal anyone can have. Sambar is a little spicy and tangy soup made with lentils and vegetables. It is a great combination liked by every Indian.
How to Prepare
Idli
Step1: On the previous day, soak 2 cups of raw rice and 1 cup of a Black gram or Urad dal for at least 3 hours. Grind it nicely by evening along with 1tsp fenugreek seeds. Keep it outside to ferment.
Step 2: Morning, you can pour the batter and make idli in the steamer.
Sambar
Step1: Cook 1 cup of yellow split pigeon peas or toor dal with 1/2tsp turmeric powder in a pressure cooker and keep
Step 2: Soak one lemon size tamarind in water to take the pulp
Step 3: Cut the vegetables such as carrots, drumsticks, yellow pumpkin, pearl onions, ash gourd, brinjal, potatoes, and madras cucumber into square pieces
Step 4: Cook them in a vessel and add mashed lentils into it
Step 5: Take a pan, add oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, small onions, curry leaves, dry red chili, sambar powder, asafoetida powder, tomatoes and saute them for some time. Pour the cooked vegetables with lentils and tamarind pulp into the pan and boil them.
