North Indian Main
Chana Masala
Ratings & commentsA tangy, deeply spiced chickpea curry from Punjab: onions, tomatoes, ginger and cumin. Vegan, filling and very cheap to make.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 h
- Hands-on
- 1 h 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium hot
Plan ahead: Soak the dried chickpeas in plenty of cold water overnight (about 8 hours).
About this Chana Masala
Chana masala is the everyday chickpea curry of North India, and it is as good for a weekday supper as a feast. Dried chickpeas are soaked and simmered until creamy, then folded into a thick masala of onions, tomatoes, ginger and toasted cumin. It is vegan, high in protein and costs pennies a portion.
Ingredients
- 500 gChickpeas, dried, soaked overnight and drained
- 50 mlVegetable Oil
- 10 gCumin Seeds
- 300 gOnions, finely chopped
- 30 gGinger, finely grated
- 30 gGarlic, crushed
- 400 gTomatoes, ripe, finely chopped
- 12 gCoriander Powder
- 8 gChilli Powder, adjust to taste
- 4 gTurmeric
- 10 gSalt
- 30 gFresh Coriander, chopped, to finish
Plus water and a little salt to taste.
How to prepare Chana Masala
Put the soaked chickpeas in a large pan, cover with fresh water by 5 cm and bring to the boil. Skim off any foam, then cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes until completely tender. Keep about a mugful of the cooking water and drain the rest.
Heat the oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 20-30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden brown. This is where the flavour comes from, so do not rush it.
Stir in the ginger and garlic for a minute, then add the tomatoes, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes, mashing the tomatoes down, until the oil separates from the masala.
Add the chickpeas and about 200 ml of the cooking water. Simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, crushing a few chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken the sauce.
Taste and add salt or chilli as needed. Stir in most of the fresh coriander.
Serve with rice, naan or bhatura, scattered with the remaining coriander.
The method was written by AI from the ingredient list. Cook with your own judgement, and check that everything is cooked through and safe to eat.
Tips
- Short on time? Use about 1 kg of drained tinned chickpeas instead and simmer them in the masala for 10 minutes.
- A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the whole dish.
- Like most curries it tastes better the next day, and it freezes well for up to three months.
Ratings & comments
Loading ratings and comments…