Chole Masala

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Chickpeas are an ancient Indian staple source of protein. The Mughals and Persians added their techniques to the making of chickpeas and started using thick gravies & rich spices with Chana masala even having an honorable mention in the centuries old Aina-e-Akbari (Akbar's memoir).
After India's partition in 1947, Punjabi refugees especially Mr. Sita Ram brought a boat loads of recipes and influence along with them and eventually popularized chole bhatura as a street food staple.

Ingredients and Proportions:
I wish to share my recipe of making Chole Masala Powder with you today hoping the taste will make you go wow. 
As I have mentioned in my other Masala series blogs, each Masala/Spice Mix Powder has basically three types of ingredients:
  1. Base
  2. Aromatic Spices
  3. Earthy Spices
In this recipe, we are going to use Red Chilies, Coriander Seeds & Cumin Seeds & Dry Desiccated Coconut as a base, fennel as an earthy ingredient and cardamom, black pepper, cloves, bay leaves cinnamon as aromatic ingredients and last we shall use turmeric powder & dried mango powder as flavor enhancers.
The composition is as follows:
 

Base Spices

Coriander Seeds

½ Cup

Cumin Seeds

½ Cup

Red Chilies

20 Pieces

Earthy Spices

Black Cardamom

4 Pieces

Fennel Seeds

2 Tbsp

Javitri/Mace

2 Pieces

Aromatic Spices

Black Pepper

4 Tsp

Cloves

2 Tsp

Cinnamon

4 inch Stick

Flavor Enhancers

Amchur

4 Tbsp

Syah Jeera

2 Tsp

Karuri Methi

4 Tbsp

Turmeric

1 Tbsp






Procedure:

Once all the ingredients have been measured and assembled in the specified proportions, the process is fairly straightforward. Begin by dry roasting the spices in a pan, just enough to drive off any residual moisture. This step is essential, as dry roasting helps release the natural essential oils in the spices and makes them easier to grind.

Take care not to over-roast the spices. Excessive roasting causes the essential oils to evaporate, leaving you with a dull, dusty powder rather than a fragrant, flavour-packed masala.

If you are preparing a larger batch, it is best to dry roast each spice separately, as different spices release moisture and oils at different rates.

Alternatively, dry roasting can be done in a microwave at 900 watts for 120 seconds. Be sure to pause the microwave every 30 seconds to stir the spices evenly and prevent scorching.

Once roasted, allow the spices to cool completely at room temperature. This step is crucial—grinding warm spices can lead to condensation and loss of aroma. After cooling, grind the spices into a fine powder using a grinder with a minimum 600-watt motor to ensure uniform and efficient grinding.

Your Paav Bhaji Masala is now ready.


Pro Tips:

  • Add a small pinch of salt to the whole spices before grinding. This helps reduce heat buildup during grinding and prevents the loss of essential oils.

  • Mix turmeric powder and dried mango powder (amchur) into the ground masala after grinding, rather than roasting them.

  • You may substitute whole dried red chilies with good-quality red chili powder, if preferred.

  • Always store the freshly ground masala in an airtight container to preserve its aroma and freshness.




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