Chana Masala (Chickpea Curry)
A classic Indian vegetarian curry of chickpeas simmered with onion, tomato, and spices. With canned chickpeas it's a 30-minute one-pot dish — hearty with rice or naan.
Ingredients
- Canned chickpeas · ~480g, rinsed (or 480g cooked)2 cans
- Onion · finely chopped1
- Tomatoes · chopped (or 200g canned)2
- Garlic · minced3 cloves
- Ginger · minced1 tbsp
- Green chili · optional1
- Cooking oil2 tbsp
- Water150 ml
- Cilantro · garnish, optional1 handful
- Lemon · to finish0.5
- Spices
- Ground cumin1 tsp
- Ground coriander1 tsp
- Turmeric0.5 tsp
- Garam masala1 tsp
- Chili powder · to taste0.5 tsp
- Salt · to taste1 tsp
Steps
- ⏲ 7 min
Heat the oil over medium and fry the onion until golden brown, 6–8 minutes (the flavor base).
- ⏲ 1 min
Add the garlic, ginger, and chili and fry 1 minute until fragrant.
- ⏲ 1 min
Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chili powder and fry 30 seconds to wake up the spices (mind the heat so they don't burn).
- ⏲ 6 min
Add the tomatoes and cook 5–6 minutes, crushing them, until thick and the oil just separates (the masala).
- ⏲ 15 min
Add the chickpeas, water, and salt, bring to a simmer, and cook gently 15 minutes. Mash a few chickpeas to thicken the gravy.
- ⏲ 2 min
Stir in the garam masala, simmer 1 minute, and turn off the heat. Squeeze in lemon juice, top with cilantro, and serve with rice or naan.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- Chole: A richer Punjabi style — be generous with the spices.
- With spinach: Add spinach for saag chana.
- Coconut: A splash of coconut milk for a South Indian touch.
- With potato: Add diced potato for a heartier chole aloo.
Tips
- Brown the onions well — it's the key to deep flavor.
- Bloom the spices briefly in oil to release their aroma.
- Canned chickpeas make it fast and easy; cooked-from-dry are even nuttier.
- Mash a few chickpeas to thicken the gravy naturally.
- A finish of lemon juice and garam masala lifts the whole dish.
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