Restaurant Style Chana Masala

For making the spice powder

Dry roast cinnamon, black cardamom, cloves, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and black pepper on a low flame till the spices are fragrant. Switch off the flame and add in the kasuri methi, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and amchur powder. Saute for a few seconds on the residual heat from the pan. Set aside this mixture to cool.

Once the mixture is cool, grind to a fine powder. Set aside. This powder can be stored in the freezer for months and will stay fresh. The spice powder recipe can be easily doubled or tripled accordingly.

For making chana masala

Soak the dry chickpeas in water overnight. Drain the water once the chickpeas are well soaked. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. I have used a 5 liter pressure cooker for making this recipe today. Add in a bay leaf. Add in finely chopped onions and saute till the onions are light brown in colour.

Add in the green chillies, ginger garlic paste and coriander leaves. Saute for a couple of minutes. Add in the prepared spice powder. Add all of it. Add in the salt. Add in a little sugar to balance the flavours. Saute for a few seconds.

Grind 5 tomatoes in a mixie to a puree. Add the puree to the pan. Make sure to use ripe tomatoes as ripe tomatoes always taste better in chana masala gravy. Mix well to combine. Add in about 500 ml water.

Add in the soaked and drained chickpea. Mix well. Cover the pressure cooker and add the whistle on. Wait for the first whistle. After the first whistle, reduce the flame of the stove to low / sim and let the chana masala cook for 30 minutes. Ignore the number of whistles. After 30 minutes, remove the cooker from heat and wait for the pressure to settle naturally.

Open the cooker and mix well. Restaurant style chana masala is ready. Serve with rice or roti.