Chole Bhatoora 3 Course Meal Kit Gift Pack Method Instructions

Welcome to your instructions for
The Chole Bhatoora 3 Course Meal Kit Gift Pack

Your instructions

Below are your step-by-step instructions for:

- Starter: Stuffed aubergine
- Main: Chole (spiced chickpeas)
- Bread: Bhatoora (fried chapatti)
- Dessert or alternative option: provided in a link to separate page

Dishes to make in advance.

Filling for the stuffed aubergines & the sauce - make this the day before. Make the filling and the sauce the day before, and char-grilled the aubergines. refridgerate the grilled (and stuffed) aubergines separately to the sauce.
Chole - Make this the day before. Notes: you will need to soak the chickpeas for approximately 8 hours before cooking them. they most time efficient way to do this is to leave them to soak overnight.

At the bottom of each set of method instructions, it tells you how to prepare each item for freezing.


Please note: The chilli quantity in each of the instructions below are a guideline. Feel free to make each of the dishes as mild or hot as you like. Do also bear in mind that the heat from every chilli can vary...it's an art not a science! So you can put in a conservative quantity at first, and taste the finished dish and add more at the end if you'd like the dish to be a bit hotter.

Please note that these method instructions are for your own personal domestic use, and are subject to copyright. They may not be shared, forwarded, copied or reproduced in any format.  Any commercial use is prohibited.

To re-order any particular favourites as you cook your way through your meal kit sachets, then simply click on the image of the dish to re-order that sachet.

To re-order our 3-Course gift bags, click HERE

Stuffed Aubergines Mix instructions

 
This mix will make stuffed aubergines for 4 people as a starter, or for 2 people as a main.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15-minutes
Simmer time: 20 minutes
 
1 teaspoon ghee (or sunflower oil if dairy-free or vegan)
2 medium onions, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
45g ginger, peeled and finely minced
2 or 4 green birds eye chillis, finely chopped (if you like it very hot, add as much as you like)
1 sachet of Pure Punjabi Stuffed Aubergine Mix
½ tin of chopped tomatoes (approximately 200g)
10 baby aubergines, washed (or 5 baby aubergines and 5 white aubergines, if you can get them)
1 tablespoon of dairy-free yoghurt (optional garnish)
1 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves (optional garnish)
 
*Tip: If you want to use different vegetables to aubergines, baby courgettes are great. If you can only get large purple aubergines, then use 2 large aubergines, and cut them into quarters (so you have 8 long pieces, and treat them like you would treat the baby aubergines in the instructions.

Once prepped, the onions, garlic, ginger and chilli should be small (not at all chunky)...


Method:

1. On a low to medium heat, fry the onions in 1 teaspoon of ghee (or sunflower oil) until translucent (not brown) in a saucepan.
2. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and stir. The mixture can stick at this point so stir every 30 seconds or so, or add ½ - 1 tsp of ghee (or oil). Cook for a couple of minutes on a low heat to cook the raw flavour out of the garlic and ginger.
3. Add the sachet of stuffed aubergine spices to pan, and stir. Divide the mixture in half, taking one half out of the pan (put it into a bowl) and leave the other half in the saucepan.
4. Add the ½ tin of chopped tomatoes to the spices in the saucepan, and put the heat on the lowest setting. Take the empty tomato tin and fill it up half way with water & add it to the saucepan. Stir all the ingredients so they are evenly mixed.
5. Get a chopping board and knife, and take each of the baby aubergines and quarter them, by cutting ½ a centimeter below the stem at the top (do not cut through the stem, as this keeps the aubergines intact during the cooking process). Note: if using the large aubergines, which you have quartered (cut off the top and discard for the full size ones)...slice each quarter like you would slice a baguette for garlic bread, where you cut in, but not all the way through.
6. Take the mixture of dry spices (that you removed from the saucepan) and divide it into 10 even portions (each portion will be quite small. Note, if using large aubergines, divide into 8). Stuff each aubergine with a portion of the spices and carefully place them into the spicy tomato sauce.
7. Keeping the temperature on the lowest setting, leave the aubergines to gently simmer in the saucepan for 15 – 20 minutes.
8. Once the aubergines are soft, they are ready to be served.

To garnish, drizzle the dairy-free yoghurt over the aubergines and then sprinkle over the chopped coriander. This garnish add great colour, as well as great flavour.
 
Batao (stuffed aubergines), when eaten as a main, are traditionally served with roti (chapattis). They are also delicious with our Coconut & Sesame Chutney Mix.

* Tip: Only want to eat 1 or 2 portions at a time? Just use half (or a quarter) of the sachet at a time, and then half (or quarter) the rest of the ingredients accordingly.

We love to see your culinary creations! So post your dish as ‘Pure Punjabi stuffed aubergines’ on social media and tag as @PurePunjabiLtd so we can see!

Chole Mix instructions
 
This mix will make Chole for 4 people



Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Simmer time: 20 minutes
 
1 teaspoon ghee (or sunflower oil if dairy-free or vegan)
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic, finely minced
25g ginger, peeled and finely minced
1 or 2 green birds eye chillis, finely chopped (if you like it very hot, add as much as you like)
1 sachet of Pure Punjabi Chole Mix (contains 1 x spice sachet, 1 x chickpeas)
1/2 tin of chopped tomatoes (approximately 200g)
1 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves
 
Method:

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Pre-prep: take the chickpea sachet and soak the contents overnight, in separate bowls.

In the morning, drain off the water. Put the dry chickpeas into a saucepan and cover with clean tap water. *Note: you must change the water when going from soaking the chickpeas to boiling them.

Bring the chickpeas to the boil then simmer with the lid on for a hour. The chickpeas should be completely cooked through, but still firm. Drain the chickpeas.

They are now ready to use in the dish.
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1. On a low to medium heat, fry the onion in 1 teaspoon of ghee (or sunflower oil) until translucent (not brown).
2. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and stir. The mixture can stick at this point so stir every 30 seconds or so, or add ½ - 1 tsp of ghee (or oil). Cook for a couple of minutes on a low heat to cook the raw flavour out of the garlic and ginger.
3. Add the spices from the chole sachet. Then add 200g of tinned chopped tomatoes. Remove any remaining chopped tomatoes from the tin and store them in the fridge for another dish. Keep the empty tin to one side for later use.
4. Add the boiled chickpeas and coat them completely in the spicy tomato mixture. Scrape down any chickpeas from the side of the pan. Fill the empty tin up by a quarter with tap water, and add the water to the saucepan, stir.
5. Slowly bring the chickpeas to the boil and then, turn down to a low heat. Simmer the mixture for 20 minutes, or until the chickpeas are soft (but not mushy). Check the chickpeas 10 minutes into the simmering time, as you may need to top up the water (to prevent the mixture from sticking) as some will evaporate off and the chickpeas will absorb a little water too.
6. Once the chickpeas are cooked, adjust the seasoning (if needed) and top with the coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Chole is traditionally served with puri (a fried chapatti). Our Puri Mix comes with step-by-step pictorial instructions, showing you how to make these using the traditional methods.


* Tip: Only want to eat 1 or 2 portions at a time? Make the entire Chole Mix and freeze the remaining portions as soon as they've completely cooled, so that they're ready for the next time you want to eat Chole. Don't forget to thoroughly defrost each portion before re-heating and serving. Ensure that food is always served piping hot.

We love to see your culinary creations! So post your dish as ‘Pure Punjabi chole’ on social media and tag as @PurePunjabiLtd so we can see!

P.S. We use the dried chickpeas over tinned beans as you retain more of the nutrition versus using tinned chickpeas.

Bread

Puri/Bhatoora Mix instructions
 
This mix will make 4 large or 6 small Bhatoore



Prep time: 5 minutes
Rest time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20-30 minutes

1 sachet of Pure Punjabi Bhatoora Mix
Approximately 120-150ml tap water
Sunflower oil for frying

Bhatoora, also know as Puri, is the fried version of Roti


Click here to see our step-by-step pictorial on how to make roti (we definitely recommend having a look!), up to step
 
Method:

1. Pour most (roughly 180g) of the flour (we call this 'atta') into a large bowl and slowly pour in approximately120ml of tepid water, mixing loosely with your fingers to form a crumble like mixture. Add the water a little at a time as you may not need all of it Making the atta dough is by 'feel' so does need practice.
2. Start to work the dough together and then knead it until smooth and leave for 10 minutes. The dough should have a medium resistance and feel firm yet a bit sticky. *Note - slightly firmer than bread dough. If too hard then wet your knuckles and knead in more water. If too soft, then flour your knuckles and knead in until firmer.
3. After resting the dough, knead again for a few minutes. The dough will now feel slightly softer than bread dough, will not feel so sticky and more springy. Tear off a piece of dough about the size of a Satsuma (either make one dough ball at a time if you have a good eye for sizes, or form 6 small dough balls in one go but cover them and do not let them dry out).
4. Pre-heat the oil for frying on a medium-high heat. A wok (called a Karai in India) works best - also make sure you have a slotted spoon to hand for when you cook them.
5. Using a rolling pin, roll out the flattened pera/disc of dough to roughly the size of a side plate, ensuring that you turn the flattened disc often and apply even pressure when rolling to give a round shape! As you roll out, if the dough is sticking, dip both sides in the flour, but you must shake off the excess flour. You need just enough flour to prevent sticking or your cooked Bhatoora will have a whitish coating. 
6. Take a pea-size amount of dough and drop into the oil to test that it is the right temperature. You can also use a piece of bread which will brown more quickly - it should be golden brown and not burnt.  If you have a temperature probe, it needs to be 180 degrees. 
7. Carefully take your rolled out Roti disc, and carefully slide it into the hot oil. With a large flat stainless steel spatula or slotted spoon, immediately press down on the disc of dough and push it down under the hot oil, let it rise and push down again and keep pressing it.  This causes the Bhatoora to puff and inflate. Carefully turn the Bhatoora over to cook the other side, and when golden brown, lift out of the oil and hold it to drain, then place it on a double layer of kitchen paper.
8. Continue to make the Bhatoore and stack them up. Serve immediately.

 
To ensure success you must look at our roti pictorial.
 


* Tip: Only want to eat 1 or 2 portions at a time? Simply use half (or quarter) of the sachet, and adjust the remaining ingredients accordingly.

We love to see your culinary creations! So post your dish as ‘Pure Punjabi Bhatoora’ on social media and tag as @PurePunjabiLtd so we can see!
 
Bhatoora is the traditional accompaniment to Chole (spiced chickpeas). It is a delicious, (and naturally & accidentally,  plant-based meal that satisfies not only your hunger, but most importantly, your taste buds. 
 
We love to see your culinary creations! So post your dish as ‘Pure Punjabi bhatoora’ on social media and tag as @PurePunjabiLtd so we can see!

Dessert or alternative - instructions have been sent to you separately