Searching for that excellent recipe to make a Punjabi-style Chana Masala. I’ve obtained simply that recipe for you on this publish. This tangy, spiced and attractive curried chickpeas recipe can be gluten-free and vegan. Whether or not you might have it along with your day-to-day Indian flatbreads of steamed rice or simply as is, topped with some onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves and lemon, the dish is tasty in addition to nutritious.
Why This Chana Masala Is A Winner
Punjabi delicacies is understood for its daring flavors and wealthy textures, and Chana Masala is a chief instance of this culinary custom.
Made with white chickpeas (kabuli chana) cooked in a spiced onion-tomato gravy, this dish is a staple in Punjabi in addition to North Indian households.
The time period ‘Chana’ means chickpeas and ‘Masala’ right here, refers back to the spiced onion and tomato base or gravy.
The hearty and fragrant nature of this Chana Masala makes it a beloved dish, usually loved with quite a lot of breads or rice.
The important thing to an genuine Punjabi Chana Masala lies in its sturdy elements. The principle element is dried chickpeas, that are soaked in a single day to make sure they cook dinner to a young perfection.
The bottom of the gravy is created with onions, tomatoes, and a mix of spices. Ginger, garlic and inexperienced chilies present a depth of taste, whereas a touch of dried mango powder (amchur powder) provides a tanginess to the dish.
Instead of dry mango powder, you can too add lemon or lime juice. When you stay in India, you can too add dried pomegranate seeds powder (anardana powder). Add this powder as a substitute of the dry mango powder.
For Chana Masala, the chickpeas ought to be cooked very well. You shouldn’t really feel even a slight chew when consuming them. They need to be delicate and melt-in-mouth.
You can even add canned chickpeas to make this chana curry. Chana Masala may be made right into a dry, semi-dry or a curried model. This recipe makes for a curried variant that isn’t overly spicy however reasonably spiced.
Chole Masala and Rajma is a weekly affair at any Punjabi residence. So, as soon as in per week, even I find yourself making these.
The truth is, every time there’s a competition or celebration, these two well-known legume dishes together with Punjabi Kadhi Pakora and Dal Makhani are at all times thought of within the menu.
Punjabi-style Chana Masala is a celebration of daring flavors and hearty textures. Its wealthy, spiced gravy, coupled with the tender chickpeas, makes it a comforting and satisfying dish.
Whether or not loved as a predominant course or a facet dish, it stays a favourite in Punjabi delicacies, cherished for its versatility and depth of taste.
Good for household meals or festive gatherings, this dish exemplifies the essence of Punjabi hospitality and culinary excellence.
Since chickpeas are a pantry staple at my place as properly, take a look at extra regional recipes like Kadala Curry, Amritsari Chole, Pindi Chole and this South Indian Chickpea Curry made with coconut.
Step-by-Step Information
The right way to make Chana Masala
Soak Chana
1. Rinse 1 cup dried chickpeas (or chana) for a few occasions in water. Then, soak them in about 3 cups water for 8 to 9 hours or in a single day.
2. As soon as soaked properly, the chickpeas will change into softer, plump up and improve in dimension. Drain the water, rinse the chickpeas once more with recent water and add them to a 3 litre strain cooker.
Additionally, add the entire spices – 1 inch cinnamon stick, 1 black cardamom, 1 small to medium tej patta (optionally available) and a pair of to three cloves.
I’ve additionally added 2 to three items of dried amla (Indian gooseberry) to get the darkish coloration within the chickpeas.
As a substitute of dried amla, you possibly can add 1 black tea bag. You can even simply cook dinner the chickpeas plain with water, spices and omit including the amla or tea bag fully.
Including a pinch of baking soda additionally helps in making the chickpeas delicate.
3. Add 2.5 cups water.
Prepare dinner Chana
4. Stress cook dinner the chickpeas on medium to medium-high warmth for quarter-hour or till they’re cooked fully.
Let the strain fall naturally within the cooker after which open the lid. The chickpeas ought to be cooked properly and softened. They need to be delicate if you mash with a spoon and never provide you with a chew if you eat.
You will note a brown shade within the chickpeas, which is as a result of amla. Take away the amla items which might have softened by now or the tea bag from the inventory.
You may selected to maintain the softened amla items when you desire. When you achieve this, then allow them to change into heat and mash them very properly with a spoon or a mortar-pestle.
Add this mashed amla to the masala gravy. When you add the softened mashed amla, then you could not want so as to add the dry mango powder, because the gravy might be naturally tangy as a result of amla.
I’ve tried this technique and the chana masala gravy tastes nice with fantastic bitter and tangy style.
You can even take away the entire spices from the inventory, however I hold them. Hold the chickpeas with the inventory apart.
When you do not need a strain cooker, then cook dinner the chickpeas in a pot/pan or the Prompt Pot with loads of water. Cooking chickpeas in a pot or pan will take a variety of time although.
Fry Inexperienced Chilies
5. Warmth 2 to 2½ tablespoons oil in a kadai (wok) or pan. Hold warmth to medium-low.
Add 3 to 4 slit inexperienced chilies and fry them stirring usually, till you see some gentle golden blisters on them.
Bear in mind to slit the inexperienced chilies and fry, in order that they don’t burst within the oil.
Moreover be happy to depart out the chilies when you desire. You even have the choice of including 1 or 2 inexperienced chilies to the masala base whereas sautéing.
6. Take away the fried chilies with a slotted spoon and place them on a kitchen paper towel. Put aside.
Sauté Onions & Spices
7. Scale back the warmth to a low. In the identical oil, add ¼ teaspoon carom seeds and sauté for just a few seconds or till aromatic.
Carom seeds are aromatic tiny seeds with an aroma much like thyme. These flavorful seeds with a pointy style are additionally referred to as “Ajwain” in Hindi.
When you can’t supply these, add ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds. Typically carom seeds are added to preparations like chana masala, as they assist in digestion.
8. Add about ½ cup tightly packed chopped or finely chopped onions.
9. Stir and sauté till the onions flip translucent or gentle brown on a medium-low to medium warmth.
10. Add 1 teaspoon ginger paste and 1 teaspoon garlic paste.
11. Sauté till their uncooked aroma dissipates.
Make Onion Tomato Masala
12. Add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon purple chili powder and 1 teaspoon garam masala powder.
As a substitute of garam masala powder, you can too add chana masala powder or Punjabi garam masala powder.
13. Stir and blend the bottom spice powders with the sautéed onions. Then add 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes.
14. Stir and blend the tomatoes very properly.
15. Sauté till the tomatoes soften and the oil begins to depart the perimeters of the masala.
Make Chana Masala
16. As soon as the oil has separated and the masala seems shiny, its time so as to add the cooked chickpeas together with the inventory (cooked water).
Make an observation that as a substitute of utilizing the inventory (the water through which the chickpeas had been cooked), you would additionally use recent water.
17. Stir and blend properly. Add salt together with 1 teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur powder).
When you do not need dried mango powder, drizzle a little bit of lemon juice in response to style, as soon as the curry is completed cooking with.
Decide so as to add your most popular salt. You could possibly additionally use a mixture of black salt and common salt or pink salt.
18. Combine very properly and simmer on medium-low to medium warmth.
You can even mash just a few chickpeas with the again of the spoon to thicken the gravy.
19. Simmer until the gravy has thickened as you see within the image beneath. You’ll some oil specks floating on the highest layer of the gravy.
Examine the style of curry and add extra salt, purple chili powder, garam masala powder or dried mango powder, if required.
20. Lastly, add the fried inexperienced chilies. You can even reserve the fried chilies for use as a garnish.
21. Serve Chana Masala scorching garnished with 2 to three teaspoons chopped coriander leaves together with bhatura or poori or aloo kulcha or paneer kulcha.
Serve sliced onions, tomatoes and lime or lemon as accompaniments. You can even add some fried potato cubes as toppings.
Serving Solutions
Greatest served scorching, garnished with recent coriander leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice for added freshness, Chana Masala pairs superbly with quite a lot of Indian breads like bhatura or naan or roti.
For a extra full meal, it may be loved with steamed basmati rice or jeera rice. Accompaniments corresponding to pickles, sliced onions, and a recent salad add a pleasant distinction of flavors and textures.
Extra Punjabi Recipes To Attempt!
Dal (Lentils) & Legumes
Dal (Lentils) & Legumes
Dal (Lentils) & Legumes
Dal (Lentils) & Legumes
Please make sure you charge the recipe within the recipe card or go away a remark beneath if in case you have made it. For extra vegetarian inspirations, Signal Up for my emails or comply with me on Instagram, Youtube, Fb, Pinterest or Twitter.
Chana Masala Recipe
A Chana Masala recipe that offers you a strong, tangy and medium-spicy curry. Whether or not you might have it along with your day-to-day Indian flatbreads of steamed rice or simply as is, topped with some onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves and lemon, the dish is tasty in addition to nutritious. The recipe can be gluten-free and vegan.
Prep Time 9 hours
Prepare dinner Time 30 minutes
Whole Time 9 hours 30 minutes
For masala gravy elements
Forestall your display from going darkish whereas making the recipe
Cooking chana or white chickpeas
First rinse the dried chickpeas for a few occasions in water. Then soak the chickpeas in sufficient water in a single day or for 8 to 9 hours.
Drain the water. Rinse the chickpeas once more in recent water after which add them to a 3 litre stovetop strain cooker.
Add complete spices – cinnamon, black cardamom, tej patta and cloves.
I’ve additionally added dried amla to get the darkish coloration within the chickpeas.
As a substitute of dried amla, you possibly can add 1 black tea bag. You can even merely cook dinner the chickpeas plain with the spices and water.
Pour the two.5 cups of water.
Stress cook dinner the chickpeas for quarter-hour on medium to medium-high warmth. Look ahead to the strain to drop naturally within the cooker. Then open the lid and test if the chickpeas are cooked properly.
The chickpeas have to be tender, softened and have a soften within the mouth texture. They need to mash simply if you press with a spoon. The cooked chickpeas should not provide you with any slight chew if you eat them.
When you do not need a strain cooker, then cook dinner the chickpeas in a pot with loads of water or in an Prompt Pot. Cooking chickpeas in a pot will take a variety of time although.
- Take away the amla items which might have softened by now or the tea bag from the inventory. You can even take away the entire spices from the inventory, however I hold them. Hold the cooked chickpeas together with the inventory apart.
Making chana masala
- Warmth oil in a kadai (wok) or a pan. Add slit complete inexperienced chilies and fry them on medium-low warmth till the have some gentle golden blisters on them.Guarantee to slit the inexperienced chilies and fry, in order that they don’t burst within the oil. Be aware that you would skip frying the inexperienced chillies when you desire. Or decide so as to add 1 to 2 inexperienced chilies within the masala whereas sautéing.
Place the fried inexperienced chilies on kitchen paper towels for any extra oil to be drained.
In the identical oil, add the carom seeds. Sauté for just a few seconds till the carom seeds are aromatic.
Add finely chopped onions. Stir and sauté till the onions flip translucent or gentle brown.
Add ginger paste and garlic paste. Sauté till their uncooked aroma goes away.
Add turmeric powder, purple chili powder and garam masala powder.
Combine the spice powders with the sautéed onions after which add finely chopped tomatoes.
Stir the entire combination very properly to mix the tomatoes with the combination.
Sauté till the tomatoes soften and the oil begins to depart the perimeters of the masala.
- When the oil begins separating from the onion and tomato masala and it seems shiny, at this level add the chickpeas together with the inventory (the water through which the chickpeas had been cooked).You could possibly additionally decide so as to add recent water as a substitute of the inventory.
Combine properly after which add salt and dry mango powder.
- Stir once more and simmer the curry on medium-low to medium warmth. You can even mash just a few chickpeas with the again of the spoon to thicken the gravy.
Simmer until the gravy has thickened. You’ll some oil specks floating on the high of the gravy.
Examine the style and add extra salt, purple chili powder, garam masala powder or dry mango powder if wanted.
Lastly add the fried inexperienced chilies to the gravy or hold them apart for use as a garnish.
Serve Chana Masala scorching garnished with coriander leaves paired with bhatura or pooris or naan or roti.
- As a facet accompaniment serve the Chana Masala with sliced onions, tomatoes and lime or lemon. You can even add some fried potato cubes as a topping and serve.
- When you don’t have dry mango powder, then add:
a) lemon juice as soon as the curry is accomplished cooking with.
b) or you possibly can embody the dry pomegranate seeds powder (anardana powder) and add it whereas sautéing the masala as substitute for dry mango powder. - You can even use canned chick peas and add them as soon as the tomatoes together with the bottom spice powders are sautéed.
- The curry may be made extra spicy by including extra purple chili powder, garam masala powder and inexperienced chilies.
- Including a pinch of baking soda additionally helps in making the chickpeas delicate.
- As a substitute of garam masala powder, you can too add chana masala powder or Punjabi garam masala powder.
- Skip including amla or tea baggage, when you do not need them.
- When you do embody dried amla or Indian Gooseberry, you will notice a brown shade within the chickpeas. Decide to take away the amla items which might have softened or hold them when you desire. When you do select to maintain them, then allow them to change into heat and mash them very properly with a spoon or a mortar-pestle. Add this mashed amla to the masala gravy. Whenever you achieve this, you could not want so as to add the dry mango powder, because the gravy might be naturally tangy as a result of amla and tastes splendid.
- If cooking chickpeas within the pan or pot then:
It’s important to take sufficient water within the pot whereas cooking the chickpeas. It takes a variety of time although. For 1.5 to 2 cups of soaked & drained chickpeas, you possibly can take about 4 to five cups of water. Including a pinch of baking soda within the water together with salt, additionally helps within the cooking course of and the chickpeas change into actually delicate when cooked. You may add about 1 teaspoon of salt. Rather less salt can be alright. I normally add much less salt. Cowl the pot and cook dinner. If the water begins to change into frothy, then take away the lid and cook dinner for some minutes. Take away the scum if there may be any whereas cooking the chickpeas.
Vitamin Details
Chana Masala Recipe
Quantity Per Serving
Energy 307 Energy from Fats 99
% Every day Worth*
Fats 11g17%
Saturated Fats 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fats 2g
Monounsaturated Fats 7g
Sodium 438mg19%
Potassium 736mg21%
Carbohydrates 45g15%
Fiber 13g54%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 773IU15%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.3mg20%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.1mg6%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%
Vitamin B6 0.4mg20%
Vitamin C 34mg41%
Vitamin E 4mg27%
Vitamin Okay 12µg11%
Calcium 92mg9%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 301µg75%
Iron 4mg22%
Magnesium 77mg19%
Phosphorus 223mg22%
Zinc 2mg13%
* P.c Every day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie weight loss plan.
This Chana Masala recipe from the archives was first revealed on November 2014. It has been up to date and republished June 2024.
