Authentic Chana Masala (Indian Chickpea Curry)

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 cup neutral oil, such as avocado or grapeseed

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 medium (~220-260 g) yellow onion, finely chopped

5 (~1 tbsp) garlic cloves , crushed

1-inch (~1 tbsp) piece ginger, crushed

1 small green chili pepper (such as Serrano or Thai chili), sliced

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp paprika powder, or Kashmiri chili powder if you have it

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp red chili powder

2 medium (~300 g) tomatoes, finely chopped or puréed in a food processor

2 cans (around 15-oz each) chickpeas, rinsed and drained (See Note 1)

1 1/4 tsp sea salt or table salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp baking soda or baking powder, (optional – for extra tender chickpeas) (See Note 2)

Garnish

1/2 tsp garam masala or chaat masala

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

2-3 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped

julienned ginger, optional, for garnish

1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, optional, for garnish

Directions

Heat a medium, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds and onion. Sauté for 7-8 minutes, until golden. If the mixture gets dry, deglaze with 1-2 tablespoons of water.

Add the garlic, ginger, and green chili pepper and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with a tablespoon of water (if needed), and add all the spice powders. Give it a few stirs to roast the spices, and then add the tomatoes. Continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Mix in the chickpeas, baking powder (if using), salt, and 2 cups of water.

Raise the heat to high to bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, cover and let cook for 25-30 minutes, until the chickpeas are very tender.

Uncover and raise the heat to high. Use a wooden spatula to slightly crush the chickpeas. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes to desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and seasoning. Turn off the heat and add the garam masala or chaat masala, lemon juice, and cilantro leaves. Sprinkle with julienned ginger and black pepper, if desired.

Notes

Note 1: This is about 3 cups cooked chickpeas (~475g).

Note 2: I prefer baking powder as it’s less strong, but baking soda is better at softening chickpeas. If you’d rather not add it to the curry, marinate the drained chickpeas in the baking soda before rinsing and adding them to the curry. You can also just add them without rinsing, which I’m inclined to do! Alternatively, simmer longer until the chickpeas get super tender.

How to add potatoes to make Aloo Chana:

To make the similar curry Aloo Chana (potatoes and chickpea curry), peel and cube 2-3 small russet potatoes. Add the potatoes alongside the chickpeas, then cover and cook as directed. The potatoes will take around the same time to cook through. Taste and adjust salt and spices as needed.

How to use dried (uncooked) chickpeas instead of canned:

If you’d like to use dried chickpeas, use about 3/4 heaped cup (6-7 oz). (Here’s a great, detailed guide on cooking chickpeas from the lovely Ali at Alexandra Cooks.) First, soak them in water overnight (Ali also adds salt). Bring the drained chickpeas, 4 cups of water, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp baking soda to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for around 45 minutes, until soft. Discard any scum that rises to the surface.

What’s the difference between Chana Masala & Punjabi Chole (or Chole Bhature):

Chana Masala is the general term for Chickpea Curry cooked in an onion and tomato masala base. Chole (the Punjabi term for chickpeas) refers to a type of chickpea curry typically eaten for breakfast with poori or bhature. Chole are often made with extra spices, tangy flavors, and even tea bags which give it the signature darker hue. That said, I do think this recipe could work just fine alongside poori

Nutrition

• Calories: 220 kcal
• Total Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
• Sodium: 856 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 18 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4 g
• Total Sugars: 4 g
• Protein: 5 g