Sindhi Chhole Dhabel (Spicy Chick peas and Bread)

Recipe contributed by Sandhya Luhana, Gujarat, India

Dhabel means bread or Pav (sort of dinner rolls.) The Chhole prepared the Sindhi way is served in a deep plate with layer of pav covered in lot of gravy and chickpeas. This oil-free dish is a simple yet tasteful family recipe. Made with the basic ingredients, it is filling and healthy. Contributed by my aunt, she said this is how my grandmother used to make it and we have continued the tradition. It has also been turned to street food in various Sindhi pockets where the recipe is topped with sweet and spice chutneys and garnished with sev and cilantro. You can make that version too and serve as appetizer.

Serves: 3
Soak time: 6-8 hrs Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 35-40 min
Difficulty level: Easy

Ingredients:

1 cup Dry Chickpeas
500-700 ml Water
1/4 tsp. Turmeric Powder
1 1/2 tsp. Coriander Powder
3/4 tsp. Red Chili Powder
1/2 tsp. Sanchar/ Rock Salt
1/4 tsp. Amchur/ Dried Mango Powder
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper Powder, freshly grounded
1 1/2 tsp. Tamarind Pulp, thick
1 1/2 slices, Bread
3-4 Pav/ Dinner Rolls, each cut in two slices (You can substitute with slice breads)
1/2 Medium-sized Onion
12-15 leaves Mint
Lime Juice, as per your liking
Salt, as per taste
Water for soaking chickpeas and cooking them

Method:

1) Soak the chickpeas in water for 6-8 hours. In a pressure cook, cook the chickpeas till tender. It takes about 20 minutes or 3-4 whistles on medium heat.

2) Once the cooker cools down, open it and add around 500 ml water. Take out a ladle of chick peas in a bowl and crush them with fork. Add them back to the cooker. Soak the bread slices in water and squeeze out excess water. Crush and disintegrate the bread with your hand. Add it in the chickpeas and the crushed chickpeas and bread with make a thick gravy from the water you added. If it feels too thick, add the remaining water.

3) Add all the spices - turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, rock salt, mango powder, black pepper powder to the chhole and cook on medium heat for 15-20 min until the chickpeas absorb the flavors. Add salt and tamarind pulp.

4) While the chhole is getting cooked, cut the onions in thin vertical slices and separate each layer. Finely chop the mint leaves and add it to the onions. When ready to serve, add salt and lots of lime juice to it. I would recommend not to leave out this garnish as this mixture adds a lot of flavor to the dish.

5) When ready to eat, in a deep dish, add 2-3 slices of the pav/ dinner rolls. Top it with few ladles full of chhole making sure there is lot of gravy. Garnish with the onions and serve.

 P.S. You can add boiled potato chunks while cooking gravy. You can also add the coriander, garlic and sweet tamarind chutneys and sev at the end.