Pakora (for coating potatoes, onions, whole spinach leaves, eggplant, etc.)

* 1 Cup Besan (chick pea flour)
* .25 Cup Rice flour
* 1 teaspoon Salt
* 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
* .5 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
* 1 Cup cold water.

Mix all dry ingredients together. Mix in cold water while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Dip vegetables in batter and deep fry.

Chole Bhature
Bhature
2 cups All purpose flour (Maida)
1 pouch Yeast
1 cup Yogurt
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Salt to taste
Choley
1 small can Garbanzo beans
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tbsp Oil
2 tbsp Cilantro
6-7 Mint leaves
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Chilly Powder
2-3 Bay Leaves
2-3 Cloves
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1 Medium-sized finely chopped onion
1 Big tomato
1 1/2 cup Water
Salt to taste

How to make chhole bhature :

Bhature

* Take yeast and soak in lukewarm water for 5-10 minutes
* Take all other ingredients and mix well. To this add the yeast and make a soft dough like for chappatis. If need be add a little water and keep aside for 4-5 hours, the longer kept, the better it is.
* Roll like puri but this needs to be kept thicker than poori. Fry like poori till both sides are golden brown.

Chole

* Take 2 tablespoons of oil in a pressue cooker and heat it.
* Add garlic powder and make it dark brown. Then add cumin seeds fry till they start spluttering.
* Now add bay leaves and cloves. Add diced onions. Fry then till they are light brown.
* Now add the rest of ingredients including water except the cilantro and mint leaves.
* Close the pressure cooker and wait for 3 whistles to come or cook for 5-7 minutes.
* Garnish choley with thinly sliced long pieces of onion and a piece of lemon split up into 4 pieces.

I am pairing this up with a good wine... A wine always makes the evening merrier. I am planning to buy Blush Zinfandel from Sula( this is my fav brand of wine)... A good wine always works in any parties.