Chana Masala, Easy Chana Masala Recipe.
Easy Chana Masala recipe using masala powder. Hearty Indian Chickpea curry. With step by step pictures.
There are so many different ways in which you can do a hearty Chana Masala. This is the Chana Masala I make when I need to feed a crowd. Whenever there is an Indian party or a pot luck, someone is always bringing Chana Masala. Chana Masala is hearty, liked universally by everyone and it tastes delicious. I pressure cook the chick pea and add it to the Chana Masala gravy. People soak the dry chickpeas in water over night. But, I usually soak the chickpeas for just 2-3 hours and then pressure cook it for 20 minutes. It comes out fantastically, every single time. Here is how to do a Chana Masala that will feed a crowd.
Soak the chickpeas for 2-3 hours. You can soak it over night if you want to but it just works fine with 3 hours. I soaked 1.5 cups of chickpea. Boil the chickpea in a pressure cooker with 6 cups of water for 20 minutes in medium flame. After 20 minutes, remove the cooker and let the pressure release naturally on its own. Set aside.
In the mean time, heat oil in a pan and add in the cinnamon and the cumin seeds. Let it splutter. Add in the chopped onions.
When the onions are frying, puree ginger and garlic with 1/4 cup of water in a blender. Set aside.
Fry till onions are soft and starting to brown. Add in the ginger garlic paste. Fry for a minute.
Puree 5-6 tomatoes in a blender and add it to the pan. Add in the salt, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and Chana Masala powder. You can use any store bought Chana Masala powder.
Add in the cooked chickpea along with the water if any. Add in 1 cup of water and cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer on low flame for 40 minutes until thick. Keep stirring once every 10 minutes, so it does not scorch at the bottom.
Once the gravy is thick, remove off heat.
Serve the Chana Masala hot.
- 1½ cups chickpea chana
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3 medium sized onions, chopped
- 10 cloves garlic
- 2 inch piece ginger
- 5-6 ripe medium tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon chana masala powder
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- Heat oil in a pan and add in the cinnamon and the cumin seeds. Let it splutter. Add in the chopped onions. Fry till onions are soft and starting to brown.
- Add in the ginger garlic paste. Fry for a minute.
- Puree 5-6 tomatoes in a blender and add it to the pan. Add in the salt, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and Chana Masala powder. You can use any store bought Chana Masala powder.
- Add in the cooked chickpea along with the water if any. Add in 1 cup of water and cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer on low flame for 40 minutes until thick. Keep stirring once every 10 minutes, so it does not scorch at the bottom.
- Once the gravy is thick, remove off heat.
- Serve hot.
Hi,
I exactly followed the recipe and then added A bit of dry fenugreek leaves to it. It turned out awesome.
Thank you so much. Happy that you liked the recipe.
Hi mam what difference does it makes using garam masala powder instead of channa madala powder
COuld the recipe be made without the coriander powder?
Sure. If you do not like the flavor of coriander powder, you can omit it.
This is looking so delicious. Will surely going to make for my son.
Hello Kannama, Love the way you present the preparation steps.. Simple and easy..
I cooked Chana masala last night and it came out really good.. I used garam masala since I didn’t have Chana masala powder.
The cinnamon touch , the ginger garlic paste – I usually cook ginger garlic paste for long . Now I did for just one minute as you told.. Ah what a touch. And finally simmer for 40 mins..
Thank you !!
Really glad you liked the recipe. Thank You!
Hi kannamma,thnks fr all ur rplies…
To tel abt tis recipe…frst of all my husbnd dn lyk channa dal becuz of its size n it takes quite tym to chew…though I cuk it mashy he dn shw much intrst twrds it…but tis tym I made tis fr chapathi…n he was asking more n more to my surprise…I hv cukd tis bfr with the same procedure but I hvn got tis color….but hvng a shrt luk at ur recipe n dng tis gave me the same color n bit enhancing taste…thnk u kannamna..