Chana masala recipe

Chana masala recipe, Popular Indian curry with chickpeas, served with Indian flatbread or rice. Chana masala recipe with detailed step-by-step pictorial instructions.

This is not the authentic Punjabi chana masala recipe, this is my simple version which I follow at home for many years. We all are huge fans of chole masala and I make this once in 10 days at home. We mostly pair it with roti or poori. The leftover chana masala, if any, will be used as bread chana for the next day’s breakfast.

Chana masala | chole masala | chhole masala is a tomato-based gravy made with pre-soaked chickpeas | white chana and cooked in flavourful Indian masalas. And for all the vegans who are reading this post, you have a piece of good news. Chana masala | chole masala is a Vegan recipe. I added 1 tsp ghee in this recipe but that is optional.

This recipe is loved by many of my friends and tried by many in their kitchens. You can also use canned chickpeas for making this recipe.

We also make chana kurma, a classic South Indian version with the addition of coconut paste and unique spices. I have posted some interesting version of chana masala. Please do check out

• No onion garlic chole masala
• Chana masala without onion and tomato
• Pindi chole
• Chana kurma

You can pair chana masala with

• Poori
• Bhatura
• Naan
• Chapati
• Jeera rice

• Soak the chana in water for 7 hours or overnight.

• Wash well and change the water and little salt.  Pressure cook for 5-6 whistles.
• Keep this aside.

• In a pan add oil and add slit green chili.
• Finely chop 1 big sized onion and add this to the pan.

• Add little salt and saute this till the onion turns pink.
• Now add the ginger garlic paste.

• Saute this till the raw smell goes off.

• Puree the tomatoes and add this to the pan.

• Now add the red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt and garam masala.

• Mix well and add ½ cup of water. You can use the cooked chana water also.
• Let this cook for 3-4 minutes till the raw smell of the powders are gone and the masala oozes out oil on the sides.

• At this stage, add the cooked chana, reserve the water. Add only the boiled chana.
• Mix well and add the reserved water according to the consistency.
• If you do not have much of reserved water, you can use normal water too.

• Let this boil for 5 minutes.
• Now add in the kasoori methi and chopped coriander leaves.

• Mix well.
• If the consistency is bit watery, gently mash the chana here and there.
• Alternatively you can take out one ladle full of cooked chana and grind this into a fine paste and add this to the gravy.
• This will give nice thickness to the gravy.
• Switch off the flame.

• The next step is optional, do this just before serving the chana masala.
• In another pan add ghee and roughly chop one small sized onion.
• Drizzle little salt.

• Saute this till golden.
• Add this to the chana masala. This step is optional but highly recommended.

• Chana masala is ready. Serve with hot pooris or phulkas or with jeera rice, Vegetable biryani or pulav.

Notes:

1. You can add a tea bag to the chana before cooking, this gives a nice color to the masala.
2. Left over chana masala can be used for making Bread chana too.