Bhatura — Leavened Fried Bread Technique (भटूरा)

Punjab — the chole bhature combination is specifically associated with Amritsar and Delhi's Punjabi refugee community post-1947

Bhatura is the leavened fried bread of Punjabi cuisine — a puffy, slightly chewy, golden oval bread that accompanies chole. The distinction from puri (its unleavened cousin) is the addition of yoghurt and a leavening agent (yeast or baking powder with baking soda) to the dough, which gives a softer interior and a more complex flavour. The dough requires resting for 1–2 hours after kneading to allow the gluten to relax and the leavening to activate — a rushed bhatura is tough and doesn't puff. The deep-frying technique is identical to puri: oil at 180°C, the bread submerged and pressed with a slotted spoon on entry to create the initial steam puff.

Always with chole (Punjabi chickpea curry), raw onion, and green chutney. The pairing is so established that ordering one without the other is considered incomplete.