Chana masala Recipe / Chana curry recipe

Chana Masala, also known as Chickpea Masala, is a traditional North Indian dish made with chickpeas simmered in a flavorful, spicy tomato gravy. This aromatic dish can be enjoyed with roti, naan, or rice, or it can be enjoyed alone as a chaat. This chana masala is traditionally prepared with white chickpeas, but in this recipe I have used black chana because of its added nutritional benefits. But you can use any type of chana for preparing this dish. Let’s look into the step-by-step guide to prepare this authentic chickpea curry.

Ingredients for Chana Masala:

• 2 cups dried black/white chickpeas (chana), soaked overnight or for at least 8 hours
• 8 cups water (for boiling the chickpeas)

For the Onion tomato base of Chana Masala gravy :

• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 4 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder ( If you are using normal red chilli powder, reduce the quantity based on your spice preference.)
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp black salt (optional)
• 1 tbsp chat masala / 1 tbsp lemon juice

For preparation of Chana masala powder

• ½ tbsp cumin seeds
• ½ tbsp pepper
• 3 cloves
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1-inch cinnamon stick
• Small piece of black stone flower
• 2 cardamom pods

How to Prepare Chana Masala:

• Prepare chickpeas

1. Soak the chickpeas in enough water overnight or for a minimum of 8 hours. This will help soften the chickpeas and reduce cooking time. If you’re short on time, you can use canned chickpeas as an alternative.
       
2. Drain the soaked chickpeas and transfer them to a pressure cooker. Add 8 cups of water to it. Cook the chickpeas on high flame for about 8 whistles or until they are soft and tender. You can even use a pot to boil your chickpeas, but this will take longer time (up to 1 hour) for the chickpeas to get cooked.
3. Once the chickpeas are cooked, drain them and reserve the strained liquid. You can use this liquid later to adjust the thickness of the gravy. Set the cooked chickpeas aside.

• Prepare the dry chana masala powder

Dry roast the spices mentioned in the ingredients section of chana masala powder and grind it to a coarse powder

• Preparing the tomato base for Chana Masala

1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add chopped onions and 1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste sauté them until the onions turn golden brown and the raw flavour of the ginger garlic paste disappears.
   
2. Add chopped tomatoes and saute them until they turn mushy. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and mix well so that the spices are well incorporated with the tomato mixture.
   
3. Allow this onion-tomato mixture to cool. Grind them to a fine paste in a mixer grinder or blender. If you like the gravy to be coarse, you can skip this step.
   

• Cooking chana in the onion-tomato gravy:

1. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter. These cumin seeds add a nice earthy flavor to this dish.
2. Add a slit green chili and sauté it for a minute. Next, add the onion tomato paste to the pan and give it a quick stir.
3. Take 2 tbsp of cooked chickpeas and grind them to a fine paste in a mixer grinder or blender and keep it aside.
4. Add the rest of the cooked chickpeas to the pan and mix well along with the tomato paste.
   
   
5. Add the ground chana paste, dry chana masala powder, some black salt (optional) and the required amount of salt. Mix it well.
   
6. Adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding some of the reserved liquid. To allow the flavors and salt to infuse into the chickpeas, simmer on low heat for a few minutes if using a pan. Alternatively, if using a pressure cooker, cook on high heat for one whistle.
7. Add chat masala or lemon juice to this chana masala for the extra tanginess and adjust salt to taste.
8. Garnish it with coriander leaves.
   Chana masala is ready to serve.
   FAQs (Frequently asked questions)

1.How to check if your chana is perfectly cooked?

Take a chick pea and squeeze it between your fingers. If it is soft and gets mashed easily then it is properly cooked. If it is firm and doesn’t get mashed then it is undercooked.

2.How to serve this chana masala ?

• This chana masala can be served along with rice and roti.
• It can also be enjoyed alone as chana chaat.

Tips for Perfect Chana Masala:

1. Soaking the chickpeas for a minimum of 8 hours is very essential for the perfect cooking of the chickpeas. If you run short of time, you can use canned chickpeas. When you are using that, just drain the chickpeas and wash them with water once and add them to the curry base.

1. Use freshly ground spices for making this aromatic and flavorful chana curry.
2. You can customize the spice level by adjusting the amount of green chilies, red chili powder, and garam masala.

Health Benefits of Chana Masala:

This flavorful chana masala is an excellent choice for vegetarians and vegans seeking a plant-based, protein-rich meal. It is not only delicious but also packed with numerous health benefits. Chickpeas, or chana, are rich in vitamins and minerals, including potassium, iron, calcium, and magnesium, which promote overall health. The spices that we have used in the curry, such as turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and coriander help in improving immunity.

Try making this delicious Chana Curry at home and relish it.

Chana masala / Chana curry recipe

Prepare delicious and healthy protein rich chana masala

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

For preparation of Chana

• 2 cups dried black/white chickpeas chana, soaked overnight or for at least 8 hours
• 8 cups water for boiling the chickpeas

For the Chana Masala gravy :

• 2 large onions finely chopped
• 4 medium tomatoes finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder If you are using normal red chilli powder, reduce the quantity based on your spice preference.
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 green chilly slit
• 1 tbsp black salt optional
• 1 tbsp chat masala / 1 tbsp lemon juice

For preparation of Chana masala powder

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tbsp pepper
• 3 cloves
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1- inch cinnamon stick
• Small piece of black stone flower
• 2 cardamom pods

Instructions

 

1.Prepare Chana

• Soak the chickpeas in enough water overnight or for a minimum of 8 hours. This will help soften the chickpeas and reduce cooking time. If you’re short on time, you can use canned chickpeas as an alternative.
• Drain the soaked chickpeas and transfer them to a pressure cooker. Add 8 cups of water to it. Cook the chickpeas on high flame for about 8 whistles or until they are soft and tender. You can even use a pot to boil your chickpeas, but this will take longer time (up to 1 hour) for the chickpeas to get cooked.
• Once the chickpeas are cooked, drain them and reserve the strained liquid. You can use this liquid later to adjust the thickness of the gravy.

2. Prepare the Chana masala powder

• Dry roast the spices mentioned in the ingredients section of chana masala powder and grind it to a coarse powder

3.Preparing the tomato base for Chana Masala

• Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add chopped onions ,1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste and sauté them until the onions are golden brown and the raw smell of ginger garlic paste disappears.
• Add chopped tomatoes and saute them until they turn mushy. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and mix well so that the spices are well incorporated with the tomato mixture.
• Allow this onion-tomato mixture to cool. Grind them to a fine paste in a mixer grinder or blender. If you like the gravy to be coarse, you can skip this step.

4.Cooking chana in the onion-tomato gravy:

• Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter. These cumin seeds add a nice earthy flavor to this dish.
• Add a slit green chili and sauté it for a minute. Next, add the onion tomato paste to the pan and give it a quick stir.
• Take 2 tbsp of cooked chickpeas and grind them to a fine paste in a mixer grinder or blender and keep it aside.
• Add the rest of the cooked chickpeas to the pan and mix well along with the tomato paste.
• Add the ground chana paste, dry chana masala powder, some black salt (optional) and the required amount of salt. Mix it well.
• Adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding some of the reserved liquid. To allow the flavors and salt to infuse into the chickpeas, simmer on low heat for a few minutes if using a pan. Alternatively, if using a pressure cooker, cook on high heat for one whistle.
• Add chat masala or lemon juice to this chana masala for the extra tanginess and adjust salt to taste.
• Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Notes

1. Soaking the chickpeas for a minimum of 8 hours is very essential for the perfect cooking of the chickpeas. If you run short of time, you can use canned chickpeas. 
2. Use freshly ground spices to make this curry flavorful and aromatic.
3. You can customize the spice level by adjusting the amount of green chilies, red chili powder, and chana masala.

Keyword Chana curry, Chana masala