Punjabi food culture has made it to the world map of gastronomy for all the right reasons. The cuisine offers a range of delicacies that are rich and flavourful and strike a chord with us every single time. Paratha, butter chicken, chhole kulche and more - there's no dearth of options in Punjabi cuisine. One such popular dish that has won over the world is chhole bhature. Today, you will find chhole bhature on the menu of every Indian restaurant across the globe. So much so that it has made it to the second spot on the 2023 list of 'Best Indian Breakfast', by TasteAtlas. At its core, chhole bhature is a combination of two dishes: chhole - a spicy chickpea curry, and bhature - a typical fried bread made with maida. In other words, this North Indian delicacy is all things spicy, oily and decadent.
Is Chhole Bhature Good For Health?
Chhole bhature is inarguably one of the most popular Indian breakfast foods. However, it often fails to make it to the plates of fitness enthusiasts, courtesy the calories count in a bhatura. Bhatura is conventionally made of maida, a refined version of wheat flour. During the refining process, healthy nutrients of wheat like fibre, vitamins, iron and other minerals get eliminated. It is then left with just carbs, which are infamous in the world of fitness enthusiasts. As per nutritionvalue.org, 30 grams of maida contains 115 calories and 23 grams of carbs. Health experts further suggest people who consume maida regularly may experience health issues like weight gain, diabetes, elevated cholesterol and more.
Does that mean you give up on your favourite chhole bhature? Absolutely not! Instead, go for a recipe that can make the bhatura healthier for guilt-free indulgence. You heard us. You found some quick and easy hacks that can give a healthy spin to the classic bhatura. Take a look.
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Here're 5 Easy Tips To Make Bhatura Healthy:
1. Replace the flour
Start with replacing maida (refined flour) with atta (whole wheat flour). This will add some nutritional value to your meal. For the unversed, atta is a storehouse of protein, dietary fibre, vitamins and phytochemicals. In addition, it is also considered a major source of starch that provides energy to the body.
Also Read: Watch: Make Healthy Atta Pita Bread At Home That Tastes Just Like The One At Cafes
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2. Use fresh oil to fry
We often tend to reuse the residue oil, left in the kadhai. But doing that can have several side effects. According to FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) guidelines, reheating and reusing residue oil should be avoided as much as possible. Re-heating the oil time and again makes it toxic and adds a bad odour and colour to your meal. So, it is always suggested to use fresh oil while frying bhatura to decrease the trans-fat content in the dish.
3. Have salad alongside
Salad is full of nutrition. It loads you up with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and also helps you stay hydrated. A simple desi salad, made with cucumber, tomato, onion, chillies and lemon juice, may instantly add some nutrients to a chhole bhature platter.
Also Read: 5 Delicious Low Fat Salads With No Cream And No Cheese
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4. Pair with pickle
Achar plays a constant role in every Indian meal. It not only adds that extra zing to your palate but is also loaded with probiotics. Probiotics further help promote healthy gut bacteria that aid digestion, metabolism and overall immunity.
Also Read: This Delicious 5-Minute Instant Mix Achar Will Amp Up Your Meal In No Time
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5. Work it out
We totally abide by the policy of 'eat to your heart's content'. Relishing a good meal satisfies our soul instantly. But it is equally important to burn it out. A quick workout session after sinful indulgences helps you burn out those extra calories. This way you can enjoy your next meal without any guilt.
What are you waiting for? Bookmark these tips right now and follow them while making chhole bhature for your next meal.
Happy Indulgence, everyone!