Matt Xiaxiang
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Main dishesChana masala
Posted: 11/01/2025Updated: 11/01/2025
North Indian vegetarian curry with chickpeas simmered in a fragrantly spiced tomato and onion curry base.
Serve hot with rice, naan, roti, or your preferred accompaniment. If being served as a side dish, Chana masala compliments other main dishes such as biryani or other curries such as dal.
Ingredients
Servings
- 400 grams Canned chickpeas
- 1 large Brown onion
- 2 medium Tomatoes
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 3 centimetres Ginger
- 2 Green finger chillies
- 2 teaspoons Cumin seeds
- 1 large Bay leaf
- 2 centimetres Cinnamon stick
- 3 Green caradmon pods
- 1 teaspoon Black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon Whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- 2 teaspoons Garam masala
- 2 teaspoons Kasuri methi
- 1 teaspoon Amchur (dried green mango powder)
- 1 handful Fresh coriander
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 200 millilitres Water
- 2 tablespoons Ghee
Instructions
- Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, green cardamom pods, cloves and black peppercorns to a pan on medium-low heat. Toast until fragrant.
- Transfer the toasted whole spices to a blender and blend until a powder is formed.
- Blend the brown onion to form a paste and set aside before blending the tomatoes and setting aside separately.
- Add ghee to the pan before introducing finely minced garlic and ginger along with the green chillies cut lengthwise. Sauté until fragrant.
- Pour in the brown onion paste and fry and occasionally stir on a medium heat until excess liquid has disappeared (about 4 minutes). Add the tomato paste and repeat.
- Add the Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric, toasted spice mix and salt. Fully combine and allow the spices to cook into the base for a minute.
- Pour in the water (adjust the amount of water depending on your consistency preference) and drained chickpeas. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes on medium-low heat until the chickpeas are softened.
- Sprinkle the garam masala, kasuri methi and amchur as well as roughly chopped coriander over the curry. Stir well and cook for a final 2-3 minutes.
- For a smoother and thicker curry, take a tablespoon of chickpeas and mash them. Add back to the curry.
My notes
Cooking tips
- Whole spices: Toasting the whole spices prior to adding to the curry allows them to develop a richer flavour. The whole spices could simply be added to the curry as is but I prefer to create a powder mix for a better texture.
- Blended brown onion and tomatoes: I prefer creating a paste instead of chopping the brown onion and tomatoes as this helps to achieve a smoother and more evenly distributed flavours. It also helps it cook out their harsher flavours faster.
- Oil separation: To allow the oil to separate and develop a rich flavour after adding water and chickpeas, you should simmer for 10–15 minutes on medium-low heat. You’ll notice the oil starting to rise to the surface as the masala thickens slightly during this process.
- Final spices: It's important to add garam masala, kasuri methi and amchur at the end of the cooking process to preserve their aromatic flavours as they are delicate.
Alternative ingredients
- Lemon juice can be used instead of amchur at the point of serving, but it will not replicate its tangy, fruity flavour.
- Dried chickpeas can be used but ensure they are soaked overnight for at least 8 hours (add a little baking soda to aid in softening the chickpeas). Be wary that these chickpeas may still take longer than canned chickpeas to cook even after soaking overnight. Use a pressure cooker to significantly shorten the cooking time.
- Red chilli powder instead of Kashmiri chilli powder but will be hotter so use slightly less.
- Instead of ghee, butter or any neutral oil such as vegetable oil can be used.
Storage instructions
Allow the curry to cool completely.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for about 3–4 days.
- Freezing: Transfer to a freezer-safe container. It will last up to 3 months.
Re-heating instructions
Allow to thaw from frozen overnight or in the microwave.
- Stove: Re-heat with a splash of water to bring it back to the right consistency, as it may thicken upon standing.
- Microwave: To quickly re-heat. Add a splash or water to loosen the sauce if necessary. Heat until hot throughout.
Nutrition and dietary facts
Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free
(Per serving) Calories: 210kcal (9%), Protein: 6.3g (11%), Fat: 11.7g (15%), Saturated fat: 1.3g (9%), Carbohydrates: 22.7g (8%), Sugars: 6g (24%), Fibre: 6.3g (21%)
Note: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is an estimate based on ingredients and cooking instructions as described - it is intended for informational purposes only.