Chana masala is a popular Indian vegetarian dish made with chickpeas (also called Chana) in a base of onion-tomato curry with spices. While the typical method of making chana masala involves a variety of spices, my mum’s version is very simple and highlights only 2-3 key spices, otherwise letting the flavour of the cooked chana shine through.
Other chana recipes I have cooked and shared: Kerala kadala curry, Punjabi chole masala.
Table of Contents
More about Chana Masala
- Ingredients: The main ingredients of chana masala are chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), tomatoes, onions, and a blend of spices. Additional ingredients include ginger, garlic, green or red chilies, and fresh coriander.
- Spices: The spice blend used in chana masala can vary across different regions and households, but it typically includes coriander powder, cumin, turmeric, garam masala, chili powder, and sometimes amchur (or dried mango powder) for a tangy flavour. We tend to prefer a simple version with less spices and I usually just reply on the tomatoes for tanginess. Less is better in this dish!
- Preparation of Chickpeas: Chana masala is usually prepared by first cooking soaked chickpeas until tender. In a pinch, canned chickpeas can be drained and used but in Indian households, the usual practise is to soak chickpeas overnight and then pressure cook it until tender before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
- Preparation of the Curry Base: While the chickpeas cook, a gravy base is prepared by sautéing onions, tomatoes, and spices until they are well-cooked and aromatic. This is often blended to get a smooth and rich gravy. The cooked chickpeas are then added to the sauce and simmered until the chana masala comes together.
- Variations: This is a very versatile dish and there are countless variations of chana masala across different regions of India and even within families. Some variations may include ingredients like coconut milk, yogurt, or even spinach or potato to add richness or variation to the dish. I do sometimes add a dollop of green yogurt to thicken the gravy, especially when serving with rotis.
- Serving: Chana masala is commonly served with pulao, roti (chapati), naan, or bhatura. My favourite combination is chana bhatura, of course.
- Nutrition: Chana masala is not only delicious but also healthy. Chickpeas are an excellent source of protein, fibre, and various other vitamins and minerals. However, the final nutritional profile of the dish will depend on the ingredients added. For example, in restaurants, they tend to add cream to the gravy which makes it richer and less ideal for those looking for a light and healthy plant-based side dish for their naan or roti.
Also check out this Kerala kadala curry recipe.
Chana Masala Recipe
Chana masala is a popular Indian dish made from chickpeas (also known as chana) cooked in a flavorful, aromatic tomato-based sauce with various spices
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup dried chickpeas or use 1.5 cups canned chickpeas, drained
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 cup cubed ripe tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp grated ginger
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder optional, gives extra red colour with less heat
- 1 tsp garam masala or chana masala (I use store-bought)
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves cilantro
- 2 tbsp oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and soak 3/4 cup dried chickpeas in sufficient water for 8 hours or overnight
- Cook the soaked chickpeas until tender. Using a pressure cooker or Instant pot will make this much quicker. Keep aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add 1 cup chopped onions along with 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp grated ginger and mix well.
- Cook until the onions turn soft.
- Then add 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (if using), 1 tsp coriander powder, and some Salt.
- Fry for a minute and then add 1 cup cubed ripe tomatoes.
- Mix everything well together and cook till the tomatoes turn soft.
- Remove onto a plate and let it cool completely.
- Grind to a paste (as smooth as you like) without adding any water and return to the same pan
- Turn on heat and add the cooked chickpeas along with 1 cup water
- Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes until the flavours blend well together.
- Add 1 tsp garam masala and 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves.
- Adjust salt and turn off heat. Your chana masala is ready!
Notes
- Use 3/4 cup dry chickpeas or 1.5 cups canned chickpeas, drained
- Adjust salt to your preference. Some canned chickpeas come with salt so make sure to check before adding
- You can use MDH kitchen king masala instead of garam masala. I personally love the flavour
- Use fresh, ripe tomatoes for best flavour
- If you want your curry to be more tangy, you can add amchur powder or a small amount of tamarind paste.
- Fresh coriander elevates the flavour so do not miss that
- You can swap out red chilli powder for green chillies. This will impact the colour so add some Kashmiri chilli powder to make up for that.
Step by Step Chana Masala Recipe
Prepare the chana or chickpeas as per steps above in the recipe
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add 1 cup chopped onions along with 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp grated ginger and mix well. Cook until the onions turn soft.
Then add 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (if using), 1 tsp coriander powder, and some Salt. Fry for a minute and then add 1 cup cubed ripe tomatoes.
Mix everything well together and cook till the tomatoes turn soft.
Remove onto a plate and let it cool completely.
Grind to a paste (as smooth as you like) without adding any water and return to the same pan.
Add water and bring to boil. Simmer for 5 minutes for the flavours to meld.
Add garam masala and chopped coriander leaves. Adjust salt.
Serve hot with rice, pulao, naan, or bhatura.
Tips and Variations to Make Chana Masala
- Restaurant-Style Chana Masala: Add 2 tablespoons of coconut milk or cream towards the end of cooking for a richer, creamier texture. The shelf life will be lower if you add cream so take note of that while storing leftovers
- Spinach Chana Masala: Add a handful of fresh spinach leaves or frozen spinach to the curry along with the cooked chickpeas for added nutrition and colour
- Potato Chana Masala: Add diced boiled potatoes along with chickpeas for a heartier version of the dish.
- Tangy Chana Masala: Add a small amount of tamarind paste or dry mango powder (amchur) for a tangy flavour.
- Crushed Kasuri Methi: Sprinkle some crushed dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) for a unique flavour. This coupled with cream will truly give you restaurant-style chana masala
- Roasted Masala: Roast whole spices like cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves before grinding them and add instead of store-bought masala for a deeper flavour and colour
- Pressure Cooker Method: If you’re short on time, you can use a pressure cooker or Instant Pot to cook the chickpeas after soaking. In Indian households, pressure cooker is a staple and really speeds up cooking time of dried chana and lentils that are typically consumed regularly
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My favorite combo, last week I wanted to order it at restaurant, now more cravings! Raks Kitchen 🙂
Just finished my dinner still feel like grabbing the batturas looks so tempting!!
Hi Nagz, I am writing for the first time here, however I visit the page everyday and to learn something and of course try it out too. I have tried quite a few paneer dishes and must say, that it won me a lot of praise. All Thanks to you. God bless the works of your hands. Thanks a ton for spreading the goodness and cheer around and adding taste to our lives..God Bless!
thank you ally 🙂
I make it the exact same way…except i dont fry the tomatoes… i grind them with fried onions and then put them in oil…
Also i keep a little bit of the ground masala aside and add it just before turning the gas off..adds a nice sweet sour taste…
looks great and really easy and fast one
bookmarked to try your amma's recipe. i have stone flower, so shall be adding it. in punjabi food, garam masala is always added to onion-tomato gravy. in fact most of the curries and vegetable dishes are made of onion-tomato base and garam masala perfectly blends with the curry. just sharing a different view point and experience 🙂
i agree with you dassana. amma is generally not a fan of garam masala and uses it very sparingly. in kerala, masala is hardly used in any recipe. it's mostly just one spice or maximum a combination of two like jeera, saunf, cinnamon, cardamom, etc. she makes a curry powder masala which she adds to gravies like but very very little. i will re-word the recipe post to make sure i am only sharing amma's opinion and many (not even I) necessarily agree with it 🙂
thank you dassana. and i agree 🙂
thanks for the reply nags. you are a very honest, open & thoughtful person. i agree with your amma's viewpoint and yours too. we all have different choices for tastes, flavors as well as cooking preferences.
i know in south indian cooking, garam masala is hardly used. in fact when i make south indian food, i myself don't add garam masala. whereas in punjabi food, if garam masala is not added, the dish does not get perked up 🙂
Falling in love with this Chana Masala!!!! Great Pics as usual:)
Vandana
Hi Nags: The first time I tasted Batura was at your mom’s place in Kottayam. It was hot off the stove and so delicious, I gorged myself with the stuff. I fix channa often since my son and some of my American and Middle Eastern friends love it. I will try this recipe next time.
Hi Nags:Your story along with the recipe brought back memories. The first time I tasted Batura was at your mom's place in Kottayam. I gorged myself with it, it was so good. Love the recipe, blending the onion and tomato is great idea. I cook channa often as it is a favorite dish of my son as well as some of my American friends. I will use this recipe next time.
I make it the same way, i just use the chole masala and some red chilly powder.
The other readers are true, u do inspire me Nags! I love the simplicity in ur writing and pics.
I thought i discovered ur blog just few months back, but only recently i realized that u have commented in many of my posts almost 6 yrs back in my old blog.
Keep rocking girl….