Chole Kulche

Soak chickpeas overnight. Pressure cook with salt and water for 5–6 whistles until very soft. Reserve the cooking liquid.

Make kulcha dough: combine maida, yogurt, baking powder, a pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon of oil. Add milk and knead into a soft, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 1 hour — the leavening agents need time to work.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add finely chopped onions and sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until the oil separates.

Add turmeric, red chilli powder, and chole masala. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the boiled chickpeas with 150 ml cooking liquid.

Add anardana powder and slit green chillies. Simmer for 12–15 minutes until the gravy is thick and flavourful. Mash a few chickpeas to thicken. Adjust salt.

Divide the kulcha dough into 8 balls. Roll each into a thick oval about 12 cm long. Optionally, press a few coriander leaves and nigella seeds onto the surface.

Heat a tawa over high heat. Place a kulcha on the dry tawa and cook for 2 minutes until bubbles form. Flip and cook the other side for 1–2 minutes.

Apply butter generously on both sides and cook for another 30 seconds until golden spots appear and the kulcha is soft and slightly charred.

Serve the hot buttered kulche with the chole, sliced raw onions, green chutney, and pickled chillies.