Old-School Chana Masala (With Dried or Canned Chickpeas)
A hearty, and super flavorful restaurant style chana masala recipe made using chickpeas in a spicy & tangy onion tomato sauce based. Serve with flatbreads or over steamed rice. Leftovers taste even better!
Ingredients
For Boiling Dried Chickpeas
- 1 cup (230g) kabuli chana dried chickpeas (Or use 2, 15oz canned chickpeas, drained)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cup water needed for pressure cooking
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 pinch turmeric powder optional
For Making The Masala
- 4 tablespoon cooking oil any neutral oil
- 2 teaspoon garlic paste
- 2 teaspoon ginger finely chopped
- 2-3 green chillies (hot), adjust to tolerance, I slit them but you can halve them
- 220 g onion finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 250 g tomatoes pureed in a blender
Whole Spices
- 1 large bay leaf
- ½ inch cinnamon stick
- 1 small black cardamom or use 2-3 green cardamom
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2-3 cloves
Ground Spices
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1+¼ teaspoon kashmiri chili powder (or paprika) , adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder (extra hot), adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
To Finish
- ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ¼ teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder), sub with lemon juice, adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoon cilantro leaves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger julinnes
Instructions
Pressure Cook Dried Chickpeas (Skip these steps if using Canned)
- Place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl—they expand significantly as they soak so you want to choose big enough vessel. Rinse them thoroughly under running water, scrub with finger and rinse 2–3 times to remove any dust or impurities.
- Once washed, cover the chickpeas with plenty of water (about 3–4 inches above their surface), cover and leave them to soak at room temperature for at least 10 hours. In colder weather, they may take a bit longer to fully soak. If you're unsure whether they're ready, here's a quick test- a well-soaked chickpea can be cleanly sliced with a sharp knife without skittering away(get the idea?)
- Discard the soaking water and transfer the drained chickpeas to a pressure cooker. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1–2 pinches of turmeric powder (optional). Pour in 2 cups water to cover the chickpeas, then secure the lid.
- Start cooking on high heat until the first whistle sounds. Then reduce the heat to medium or medium-low and cook for another 4–6 whistles.
- Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally. Once safe to open, check the doneness: the chickpeas should hold their shape but be soft enough to press between your thumb and forefinger.
- At this stage, drain the chickpeas and set aside the cooking liquid. Transfer the chickpeas to a bowl. We. will use the reserved stock while preparing the curry.
Prepare The Masala
- Before you start cooking, prep all your aromatics and measure out the spices. Keep everything within arm’s reach of the stove. Also, have 1–2 cups of hot water ready to go; you’ll need it throughout the process to deglaze the pan. I use an electric kettle: just fill it and switch it on while you prep the rest.
- Place a heavy-bottomed cooking pot (I use a 4-quart braiser) over medium heat. Add oil and let it warm up. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), add the bay leaf, cloves, cumin seeds, and cinnamon stick. Immediately follow with the chopped ginger, garlic paste, and green chillies. Sauté everything for 8–10 seconds, stirring constantly to infuse the oil. The spices should sizzle and crisp up slightly, but not change color for too much browning can introduce a bitter note.
- Next, add the chopped onions. Cook on medium-low heat for 7–9 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions turn golden brown (not dark brown). This step is key since it develops both the color and flavor base of your curry, so take your time.
- Once the onions are golden, deglaze the pot with about ? cup of hot water. Scrape the bottom to release all the flavorful bits and mix them in. Let the water reduce for about a minute; it should soften the onions further without drying them out completely.
- Now sprinkle in the ground spices—coriander, turmeric, red chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, ground cumin, and black pepper. Also add the salt. Stir to coat the onions evenly. Cook this spice mix over low to medium heat for 1–2 minutes, adding small splashes of hot water to prevent sticking and to help the spices toast evenly. You’ll know it’s ready when the masala looks rich and glossy, and the raw spice aroma has mellowed. Your kitchen will smell amazing!
- Add the pureed tomatoes and cook down (bhuno) the mixture, stirring regularly until most of the moisture has evaporated and the oil begins to separate. At this stage your masala should look shiny and well-blended.
Simmer The Chana Masala
- Add the cooked chickpeas to the masala. Stir well and cook for 2–3 minutes to let them soak up the flavors.
- Pour in the reserved cooking liquid from the chickpeas (or water with ⅛ teaspoon baking soda if using canned chickpeas). Chana masala shouldn’t be too watery, so don’t add too much liquid, just enough to create a thick, stew-like consistency. You can always adjust the consistency as you go.
- Once the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat, cover the pot, and let the curry simmer gently for 15–18 minutes. Check occasionally to make sure the masala isn’t drying out. Add a splash of water if needed.
- After simmering, uncover the pot and use the back of your spoon to mash a few chickpeas. This helps naturally thicken the curry thanks to their starch content.At this stage, taste and adjust the salt if needed.
- To finish, stir in garam masala, amchur (dried mango) powder, and crushed kasuri methi. Add julienned ginger if using. Let the curry simmer uncovered for another 3–5 minutes so all the flavors mingle together.
- Your chana masala is now ready. Keep in mind, it will thicken as it cools, so when reheating, simply add water to loosen the consistency and bring it back to a gentle simmer.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and extra ginger juliennes if desired.Serve warm with flabreads or cumin rice. Thiny sliced onions are a must with chana in indian meals. A bowl of cooling boondi raita balance the warmth of the curry
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