Chana Masala Recipe (Indian Chickpea Curry)
Chana Masala, also known as Chole, is a popular North Indian curry made with chickpeas simmered in a spiced onion-tomato gravy. It’s a high-protein vegetarian dish perfect for lunch or dinner, served with naan, rice, or poori. Pair it with Kheer to enhance the experience.
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker
- 1 Deep pan or kadai
- 1 Stirring spoon
- 1 Potato masher
Ingredients
- 1 cup chana chickpeas
- 2 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
- 4 cups water for pressure cooking
- Salt – to taste
- 4 tbsp oil
- 2 medium onions – finely chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes – chopped
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp chaat masala
- 3 tsp chole masala
- 2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste or 1 tsp each chopped ginger & garlic
- 1/2 cup water for gravy
- 2 tsp tamarind pulp
- 3 green chilies – chopped
- A handful of fresh mint leaves – chopped
Instructions
- Rinse the chana 2–3 times in water, then soak them overnight or for at least 8 hours.
- After soaking, drain the chickpeas and set them aside.
- In a pressure cooker, add the soaked chana and cubed potatoes along with 4 cups of water and salt.
- Pressure cook on medium heat for 4–5 whistles, then allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium flame.
- Add the chopped onions and sauté for about a minute, then add the chopped tomatoes and cook until soft.
- Add the cumin powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chaat masala, chole masala, and salt. Stir well and cook the masala mixture for 1–2 minutes until aromatic.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and 1/2 cup of water. Mix well, cover the pan, and simmer the masala on low heat for 10 minutes.
- Open the pressure cooker and remove the boiled potatoes. Lightly mash them using a masher.
- Add the boiled chickpeas to the prepared masala gravy, mix well, and simmer for 5–7 minutes.
- Add the mashed potatoes to the curry, stir to combine, then add the tamarind pulp and cook for another 10 minutes on medium heat.
- Garnish the Chana Masala with chopped green chilies and mint leaves. Optionally, you can also add fresh coriander leaves before turning off the heat.
- Serve hot with naan, poori, or rice.
Notes
- Serve Chana Masala with steamed rice, jeera rice, or brown rice. You can also pair it with roti, poori, or naan. Enhance the experience with Kheer as a side dish.
- Top with chopped onion, tomato, and lemon juice for a spicy chana chaat twist.