Short answer
Chole bhature is a North Indian dish of spiced chickpea curry (chole) served with bhatura, a soft deep-fried bread that puffs like a balloon. It is a Punjabi and Delhi favourite, usually eaten with sliced onion, pickle and green chutney.
Chole bhature is a North Indian dish that pairs spiced chickpea curry, called chole, with bhatura, a soft deep-fried bread that puffs up into a hollow golden round. It is a Delhi and Punjab classic, served hot with sliced onion, pickle and green chutney, and eaten by tearing the bread and scooping up the chickpeas.
What is chole bhature?
Chole bhature is two dishes served as one plate: chole, a thick curry of chickpeas simmered with tomato, onion and a tangy spice blend, and bhatura, a leavened bread deep-fried until it balloons. The name simply joins the two parts, chole for the chickpeas and bhature as the plural of bhatura.
The dish belongs to Punjabi cooking and is closely tied to Delhi, where it became a staple of street stalls and small restaurants. It is also written chhole bhature, chana bhatura or chana bhature. In Canada and the United States, menus often say “chana bhatura” with the same meaning.
What are the main ingredients?
Chole bhature needs chickpeas, onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and spices for the curry, and refined wheat flour, yogurt and a leavening agent for the bread.
- Chole: dried or canned chickpeas, onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, green chilli, coriander and cumin
- Souring spices: dried mango powder (amchur), pomegranate seed powder (anardana) or tamarind
- Chole masala: a ground blend that often includes coriander, cumin, fennel, black cardamom and dried fenugreek leaves
- Bhatura: refined flour (maida), yogurt, a little sugar, salt, oil and baking powder, baking soda or yeast
- Frying: neutral oil or ghee at a high temperature
How is chole made?
Chole is made by soaking chickpeas, boiling them until soft, then simmering them in a fried onion and tomato base with ground spices until the gravy thickens and darkens.
Many Punjabi cooks add a tea bag or a few tea leaves to the boiling water, which gives the chickpeas their deep brown colour without changing the flavour much. Others rely on long cooking and a dark spice blend. The finished chole is slightly tangy, medium to hot in spice and thick enough to cling to bread.
How is bhatura made and why does it puff?
Bhatura is made from a soft dough of refined flour, yogurt and a leavening agent that is kneaded, rested for a few hours, rolled into ovals and fried in hot oil until it inflates.
- Mix flour, salt, sugar and leavening, then add yogurt and a little oil.
- Knead into a soft, smooth dough and rest it covered for two to four hours.
- Divide into balls and roll each into an oval about 3 mm thick.
- Slide the oval into hot oil and press gently so it puffs on both sides.
- Turn once, drain and serve straight away.
The puff comes from steam and gas trapped inside the thin dough. A bhatura deflates within minutes, so it is best eaten fresh.
What do you serve with chole bhature?
Chole bhature is traditionally served with raw sliced onion, a wedge of lemon, green chilli, pickle and green chutney, and often a glass of lassi on the side.
The sharp onion and lemon cut through the richness of the fried bread. Pickle, usually mango or mixed vegetable, adds salt and tang. Some stalls also add a spoonful of yogurt or a side of spiced potato.
How do you eat chole bhature?
Eat chole bhature by tearing off a piece of the warm bhatura, using it to scoop chickpeas and eating the two together with a bite of onion or pickle.
The bread is usually served whole and sometimes in a pair. Cutlery is optional. Because bhatura is oily and filling, many people share the plate or choose one bhatura rather than two.
Chole bhature vs kulcha: what is the difference?
Chole bhature and chole kulche both use chickpea curry, but the bread differs: bhatura is deep-fried and puffed, while kulcha is a soft flatbread baked in a tandoor or cooked on a griddle.
| Feature | Bhatura | Kulcha |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking method | Deep-fried | Baked or griddled |
| Texture | Puffed, soft, slightly chewy | Soft, bready, sometimes crisp edge |
| Typical dough | Flour, yogurt, leavening | Flour, yogurt or milk, leavening |
| Often stuffed | No | Sometimes, with potato or onion |
| Served with chickpeas | Yes, as chole bhature | Yes, as chole kulche |
Why are the chickpeas in chole so dark and tangy?
The dark colour and sour edge of chole come from long simmering, a strongly spiced masala and a souring ingredient such as dried mango powder, pomegranate seed powder or tamarind.
Tea leaves added to the boiling water deepen the brown colour. Dried pomegranate seed (anardana) gives a fruity sourness that is characteristic of Punjabi chole, while amchur is a drier, sharper sour. A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the dish. The gravy is usually thicker than a typical curry so it can be scooped up with bread rather than poured over rice.
What are common mistakes with bhatura dough?
The most common mistakes are a dough that is too stiff, too little resting time and oil that is not hot enough, all of which produce a bhatura that stays flat, dense or greasy.
- Stiff dough: a firm dough resists puffing, so keep it soft and slightly tacky
- No rest: the dough needs hours for the leavening and yogurt to work
- Thick rolling: an oval thicker than about 4 mm may not inflate evenly
- Cool oil: oil below roughly 170°C soaks into the bread instead of puffing it
- Waiting too long: a bhatura softens and flattens soon after leaving the oil
Is chole bhature on the MotiMahal menu?
Yes. Chana Bhatura is listed on the recorded menu for MotiMahal Restaurant in Mississauga, and public sources describe it as the restaurant’s signature dish.
The recorded price is $15.99, taken from a DoorDash snippet on 13 November 2026, while SkipTheDishes lists a combo at $19.49. Prices on delivery apps can differ from in-restaurant prices, and the menu does not say which chole style is used. See the full list on the menu page and check the hours page before going. This site is an independent guide and does not take orders.
How can you make chole bhature at home?
At home, make the chole a day ahead, because the flavour deepens overnight, and fry the bhatura fresh just before serving.
Cook the chickpeas until they mash easily between two fingers, then simmer them with sautéed onion, tomato and a spoonful of chole masala for 25 to 30 minutes. For bhatura, keep the dough soft, roll it evenly and make sure the oil is hot, around 180°C. Cooler oil makes the bread greasy and flat.
Common questions
Is chole bhature a breakfast or a lunch dish?
Both. In Delhi and across Punjab it is a common late breakfast or brunch, and also a lunch. It is filling, so many people eat it once a day rather than as a light snack.
What is the difference between chole and chana masala?
The two names are used for nearly the same dish of chickpeas in spiced gravy. Chole is the Punjabi name and often tastes darker and tangier, while chana masala is a more general term.
Why does bhatura puff up?
The dough is rested with yogurt and a leavening agent, then rolled out and dropped into very hot oil. Steam builds inside the thin dough and inflates it into a hollow, golden pillow in seconds.
Can chole bhature be made vegetarian or vegan?
Chole itself is a vegetable dish and is normally made without meat. Bhatura dough often contains yogurt, so a vegan version swaps it for plant yogurt or leaves it out and uses a little extra leavening.
What do you drink with chole bhature?
Sweet or salted lassi is the classic partner because its coolness balances the spice and the richness of the fried bread. Plain water or spiced tea also suit the dish well.
Planning a visit? Start with Moti Mahal Restaurant Mississauga: address, opening hours, menu and directions in one place.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from MotiMahal Restaurant - Mississauga itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.