Chole Bhatura or Chana Bhatura is one of the common dish in North India, especially in Punjabi house hold. One will definitely find it in North Indian restaurant menu. It is one of the famous combo, though one may have bhatura with other curry; or have chole with rice, chapati, roti or poori. The recipes are kinda my way of doing the way I like it. For Chana/Chole, I take the shortest and simplest route of making it in pressure cooker with ready chana masala powder and canned Garbanzo beans (chana) and at times canned tomatoes. Anyway, I make it when I have ran out of things in refrigerator and I have to visit my pantry for emergency supply - which happens rarely. I am going to mention both recipes here, but note that it is NOT the authentic way of preparing the dish. That said, it still turns out delicious in its own way, so give it a try. 

BHATURA

CHOLE | CHANA

• 1 cup - rice (I used sona masoori)
• ¼ cup - peanuts / groundnuts
• Lemon juice from one large lime ( as per taste)
• ½ tsp - mustard seeds
• 3 to 5 - green chilies (or as per taste) - split in center lengthwise.
• 7 to 8 - curry leaves
• ¼ cup - coriander leaves - chopped
• 1 tsp - grated ginger 
• 2 tbsp - cooking oil
• ½ tsp - turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp - asafoetida/hing
• Salt - as per your taste

1. Cook rice and keep it aside to cool down. You may also carefully spread the rice on a wide-tray to fasten the process. 
2. In a big pan, heat oil on medium flame and add mustard seeds.
3. As mustard sputters, add green chilies, curry leaves, asafoetida and peanuts. Stir and let peanuts roast a bit on medium-low flame
4. Meanwhile, add lemon juice and salt to the cooked rice, mix it all together. Keep aside.
5. Once the peanut is roasted, add turmeric powder, ginger and coriander leaves. Stir until the raw small is gone (for about a minute or so). [Note:Rather than just garnishing coriander leaves, roasting it gives an unique flavor, aroma and will not let it go bad in lunch-box.]
6. Now add the rice mix to the pan and mix it all together. Turn the heat to low, cover and let it warm for about 2 minutes. Turn off the flame. 
7. Serve with pickle and curds. Of course, any fritters like pakoda's will go well with Lemon rice.

• If packing for lunch, let the Lemon-rice cool down before covering the lunch box lid.
• 1 tsp of (soaked for about 10 minutes) urad dal and chana dal may be add to the seasoning along with peanuts.
• It is important that the cooked rice is cool down, or else the rice will break and get mushy while mixing it.

• 4 lb – Chicken (cleaned and cut) 2kg
• 3 big – Onions – thinly sliced 
• 1 –Lemon
• 1 tsp – Turmeric/Haldi 
• 2 tbsp – Ghee  or oil
• 4 cup – Coconut Milk (2 cans)
• Salt – as per taste

• 1 cup – grated fresh coconut
• 6 – garlic cloves
• 6 – cloves
• 1½ inch – ginger
• 1 tbsp. – Coriander seeds / Dhania
• 1 tsp – Cumin seeds / Jeera
• 6-7 – Red chilies (as per taste)

1. Prepare Masala: Dry roast all the masala ingredients. With little water, grind them all into fine paste in a blender.
2. In a think bottom pan, heat ghee on medium flame. I use a wide pressure-cooker(pan).
3. Add cut onion and cook until translucent.
4. Add chicken and turmeric to the onion. Cover and cook for 5 mins or half done. 
5. Add salt and fresh lemon juice cover and let it cook until slightly tender (or one whistle)
6. Mix in the ground masala and on medium flame, let it come to a boil, 
7. Now add the coconut milk. Reduce the flame to medium low.
8. Cover and let it cook for 10 mins or until the chicken is fully cooked. Every few minutes, stir the curry to make sure that it does not get stick to the base of the pan and burn.
9. Once done garnish with fresh cut coriander leaves.
10. Serve hot with Kori Roti, Neer Dosa, Ottu Shavige, Kotte KadabuRice, idli, chapati or rice.

• Boodh-kumabalakayi/Ash Gourd / white pumpkin - 1/2 kg/ 1 Lb
• Buttermilk - 2 to 3 cups
• Salt - to taste
• For masala
• Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp 
• Cumin/Jeera - 1/2 tsp
• Green chilies - 3 to 4 (or to taste)
• Coriander leaves  - a handful (washed and chopped)
• For seasoning:
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard/Sasive - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin/Jirige - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 5 to 6 leaves.
• Asafoetida / Hing - pinch

1. Remove the seeds and the skin of the Ash Gourd, cut it into inch and a half cubes
2. Transfer the washed Ash Gourd cubes into pressure cooker or steamer. 
3. Add a  cup of water and salt. Let it cook for one whistle and turn it off.
4. Meanwhile grind masala with bit of water (or buttermilk) into paste.
5. Once the pressure is released, add the ground masala to the cooked Ash Gourd and bring it to boil. 
6. Let it boil for 4 to 5 minutes than turn off the heat.
7. Whisk thick curds and water together or buttermilk. Add it to cooked Ash gourd and mix.
8. For seasoning: Heat oil, add mustard, cumin, red chilies and curry leaves; Once mustard start to splatter, pour the mixture over the curry. 
9. Garnish with fresh cut coriander/cilantro leaves,
10. Server warm with rice.

• Small piece of ginger may be added while grinding the masala
• 1/2 tbsp soaked Bengal Gram - may be added while grinding the masala.