Chickpea curry with puffed fried bread (Chole bhature)

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight. Drain and cook in fresh water with salt and the tea bag (which makes them a lovely dark brown) for 60-75 minutes until tender; remove the tea bag and keep the cooking liquid.

2. For the bhatura dough mix the flour with the baking powder, sugar and salt, add the yoghurt and 1 tablespoon of oil, then enough lukewarm water to make a soft, smooth dough. Knead for 8 minutes, brush with oil and leave covered for at least 2 hours.

3. For the chole fry the finely chopped onions in the oil for 10 minutes until dark brown, add the ginger, garlic and green chillies, then the ground coriander and chilli powder; after half a minute add the puréed tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until the oil separates.

4. Add the chickpeas and 400 ml of the cooking liquid and cook for 20 minutes, crushing a few chickpeas. Finally stir in the garam masala and amchur; the chole should be thick, glossy and dark.

5. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll out on an oiled surface into 15 cm ovals. Heat the oil to 190 °C in a small, deep pan and slide in the ovals one at a time; spoon oil over the top until they puff up like balls, then turn and fry both sides until golden (about 1 minute).

6. Serve immediately with the hot chole, raw onion rings, lemon wedges and pickle.

Tip: A favourite weekend breakfast in Delhi and Punjab. Bhatura only puffs up in hot enough oil: test with the first one; if it rises to the surface at once and sizzles, the temperature is right. In a small, deep pan you need only a little oil.