This restaurant Chana masala is a popular Indian dish of chickpeas cooked in an onion tomato gravy. It goes great as a side with rice, paratha or roti.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 40 minutes
  • Total time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Side
  • Cuisine: North Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chana ((dried raw chickpeas) (or 3 cups soaked or 2 - 15 oz cans))
  • 1½ cups water ((to pressure cook, + more to make gravy))
  • 2 tablespoon oil (or as needed)
  • 1 small bay leaf ((optional))
  • 1 inch cinnamon ((optional))
  • 2 cloves ((optional))
  • 2 green cardamoms ((optional))
  • 1½ cups onions ((fine chopped, 2 large))
  • 1 green chili (slit (optional))
  • ¾ to 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste ((or ½ tbsp each fine chopped))
  • 1½ cups tomatoes ((fine chopped, 3 large or 1½ cups tomato puree or whole peeled tomatoes))
  • ¾ teaspoon salt ((+ more to adjust to taste))
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1½ teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder ((adjust to taste))
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala ((adjust to taste))
  • 2 teaspoon coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder ((optional))
  • 1 teaspoon kasuri methi ((dried fenugreek leaves) (optional))
  • ¼ teaspoon amchur ((dried mango powder) (optional))
  • 2 tbsp coriander leaves ((cilantro chopped finely))

Method

Prepare Chickpeas (Skip this section to use canned chickpeas)

  1. Rinse dried chickpeas at least thrice. Soak them in 3 ½ to 4 cups of water overnight or for at least 8 hours.
  2. Drain the water and rinse them well. Pour water and pressure cook for 5 to 6 whistles on a stovetop cooker. You may also cook in an instant pot for 18 minutes on a high pressure. Let the pressure drop naturally.
  3. Make sure your chickpeas are soft and tender. Squeeze a chickpea to test, it should get mashed fully. If not cook them for a little longer.

How to make Chickpea Masala

  1. Heat a large pot and pour oil. When the oil turns slightly hot, add the whole spices – cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms and bay leaf.
  2. When they begin to sizzle add the onions and green chili. Saute until they turn light golden.
  3. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute without burning.
  4. Add tomatoes and salt. Let cook until mushy, pulpy and thick.
  5. Stir in red chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, coriander powder and cumin powder. Saute until the masala begins to smell good, for about 3 to 4 mins.
  6. Optional – If you want a smooth curry, cool this, discard the bay leaf, green chili and cinnamon. Blend in a blender to a smooth or coarse paste to suit your liking. I prefer to blend in 2 tbsps cooked chana along with the onion tomato masala. Add that puree back to the pan.
  7. Add the chana along with the chana stock or water (1¼ cups). Pour another ¾ to 1 cup water. If you don't puree the onion tomato masala, you will require lesser water. If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them before adding with 1¾ cups water.
  8. Mix well. Taste test and add more salt. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
  9. When the consistency is thick (check pics), add amchur powder (optional) and kasuri methi.
  10. Garnish Chana masala with coriander leaves. Sprinkle some lemon juice if required. Serve with Basmati Rice, Jeera Rice, Naan or Chapati.

Instant Pot Chana Masala

  1. To make the recipe in Instant pot, make the onion tomato masala on saute mode. Optionally If you want you may cool and blend this. Add the soaked chickpeas with 2 cups water. Deglaze and Pressure cook on high for 35 minutes. When the pressure drops, open the lid. Cook on a saute mode for a few minutes until thick. Add kasuri methi and amchur.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.