Chole Puri (Chickpea Curry with Fried Bread)

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Chole puri is a popular North Indian dish featuring a chickpea curry flavored with an aromatic mix of spices (chole) and served with deep-fried bread (puri). Instead of traditional deep-frying, we opt for a healthier approach by air-frying the puris. If you have a basket-style air fryer, be sure to place them in the center of the basket to prevent the circulating air from folding them as they cook.

Chole Puri on a plate with lemon slices
Photo:

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel

Active Time:
1 hr 10 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 25 mins
Servings:
4

One of Renu Anshie Dhar’s favorite recipes is Chole Puri. As a child growing up in Kashmir, India, it wasn’t something her mom cooked at home, but she gravitated toward it whenever she saw it on the menu at a halwai, a restaurant specializing in sweets and snack food. When she moved to Chandigarh in the Punjab region, she was happy to see the dish was a more common offering, particularly enjoyed on weekend mornings. When Dhar discovered that one of her neighbors loved it, too, she asked her to teach her how to make it. When she went home to Kashmir, Chole Puri was one of the first dishes she made for her mom, who was proud of Dhar for immersing herself in a new culture. 

The dish is made of two components, chole, an aromatic chickpea curry, and puri, a type of puffy bread that’s used to soak up all of the sauce. Dhar calls the pairing a marriage: “Just chole without the puri is nothing, and just the puri without the chole is nothing—one can’t exist without the other for me at breakfast time.” 

While puri are traditionally deep-fried, Dhar saw someone air-frying puri on Instagram and gave the method a try. She was pleasantly surprised at how well it works (plus it saves you the hassle of deep-frying!). Dhar says, “The puri is flaky on the outside and soft on the inside.” Plus, it keeps its shape longer and doesn’t deflate as quickly as a deep-fried one might. 

Learning to make Chole Puri from her neighbor was the spark that started Dhar’s culinary journey—leading to her eventually becoming a recipe tester and developer in EatingWell’s food studios in Birmingham, Alabama, years later. Now whenever she’s feeling nostalgic about home and missing her mom, she simmers a pot of chole, filling her home with aromas of coriander, cumin, paprika and garam masala, and with memories of India.

the ingredients to make the Chole Puri

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel

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Ingredients

Puri

  • 1 cup whole-wheat flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 cup whole-milk plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt

  • 2 tablespoons water, as needed

  • 2 teaspoons ghee, melted

Chole

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added chickpeas, undrained

  • 2 cups water, divided

  • 1 English tea bag

  • 2 tablespoons ghee

  • 1 large white onion, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger, plus thinly sliced ginger for garnish 

  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic

  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

  • 2 large plum tomatoes, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

  • 1/2 teaspoons garam masala

  • Lemon wedges for serving (optional)

Directions

  1. To prepare puri: Stir flour and baking powder together in a large bowl. Stir in yogurt until incorporated. (If there are dry flour streaks remaining, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, and mix until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms.) Cover the dough with plastic wrap; let rest at room temperature for 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a work surface; knead until smooth and tacky to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and set aside in a warm place for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

  2. Meanwhile, prepare chole: Place chickpeas, chickpea liquid from cans and 1 3/4 cups water in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add tea bag and reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until the chickpeas slightly darken in color and the liquid reduces slightly, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bag.

  3. While the chickpeas are simmering, heat ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in ginger and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is aromatic and lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add the remaining 1/4 cup water; stir vigorously, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add coriander, cumin, paprika and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes; cook, stirring often and crushing the tomatoes with the back of a spoon, until soft and jammy, about 5 minutes.

    a photo of the food being cooked in a pan with the chickpeas in the pot beside it

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel

  4. Transfer the onion mixture to the Dutch oven with the chickpeas; stir in cilantro and garam masala. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chole is reduced and looks glossy, about 5 minutes.

    a photo of the cooked ingredients being spooned into the chickpeas

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel

  5. Meanwhile, cook the puris: Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 10 minutes. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 8 portions (about 1 ounce each). Using your hands, roll each portion into a smooth ball. Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a 5-inch round; place on the prepared baking sheet; cover the dough rounds with plastic wrap. Working with 1 dough round at a time, place in the basket of the preheated air fryer; cook until golden brown and puffed, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate; brush lightly with ghee while still warm. Repeat the process with the remaining dough rounds.

    a photo of the puri dough being rolled out

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel

  6. Garnish the chole with ginger slices, if desired. Serve hot with the puris and with lemon wedges, if desired.

Equipment

Air fryer

EatingWell.com, July 2024

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

440 Calories
14g Fat
64g Carbs
19g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Serving Size 1 cup chole & 2 puris
Calories 440
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 64g 23%
Dietary Fiber 14g 51%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 19g 37%
Total Fat 14g 19%
Saturated Fat 6g 32%
Cholesterol 26mg 9%
Vitamin A 100µg
Vitamin C 10mg 11%
Vitamin D 0µg
Vitamin E 1mg 8%
Folate 238µg
Vitamin K 12µg
Sodium 549mg 24%
Calcium 205mg 16%
Iron 6mg 33%
Magnesium 122mg 29%
Potassium 714mg 15%
Zinc 3mg 28%
Vitamin B12 0µg
Omega 3 0g

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

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