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Chana masala

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Chana masala

North Indian chickpea curry with a deep onion-tomato masala

Dried chickpeas simmered until creamy, then cooked into a thick, tangy sauce of browned onion, tomato, ginger and toasted spices. Frying the onions to deep golden and cooking the tomatoes until the oil separates gives the sauce its depth.

VeganGluten-freeDairy-freeHigh fibreLow caloriePlant-based
Energy
397 kcalper serving
Prep
20 min
Cook
1 h 35 min
Rest
8 h
Protein
15 g
Ask Yum about this recipe

How was it?

Equipment

  • Large bowl for soaking
  • Heavy pot (4 l) for the chickpeas, or a pressure cooker
  • Heavy wide pan or kadai (26–28 cm)
  • Box grater
  • Wooden spoon
  • Potato masher or fork

Before you start

  1. Start soaking the chickpeas the night before.
  2. Chop the onions finely and evenly so they brown at the same rate.
  3. Grate the garlic and ginger; slit the chillies.
  4. Halve the tomatoes and grate the cut side on a box grater; discard the skins.
  5. Measure the ground spices into a small bowl so they go in together.

Method

  1. Soak the chickpeas

    250 g dried chickpeas2.5 l water

    Rinse the chickpeas, put them in the bowl and cover with the soaking water. Leave at room temperature for 8–12 hours.

    Done when The chickpeas have doubled in size, the skins are smooth and taut, and one splits easily between your fingers.

    Tip In a warm kitchen (above 25 °C), soak them in the fridge so they do not start to ferment.

  2. Simmer the chickpeas

    250 g dried chickpeas2.5 l water2 leaves bay leaves7 g salt

    Drain and rinse the chickpeas and put them in the pot with the cooking water, bay leaves and half of the salt. Bring to the boil over high heat, skim off the foam, then cover partly and simmer over medium-low heat for 60–75 minutes.

    Done when A chickpea crushes completely when pressed against the roof of your mouth with your tongue, and the liquid is cloudy and slightly thick.

    Tip In a pressure cooker: 4–5 whistles on high, then 10 minutes on low, then release naturally. Keep all the cooking liquid either way.

  3. Bloom the cumin

    3 tbsp sunflower oil1 tsp cumin seeds

    Heat the oil in the wide pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30–40 seconds.

    Done when The seeds crackle, darken by one shade and smell nutty. Black seeds mean they burned; start again.

  4. Brown the onions

    300 g onions

    Add the onions and cook over medium heat for 12–15 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until deep golden brown.

    Done when The onions are an even deep golden brown, have shrunk to about a third, and smell sweet. No black edges.

    Tip This is where the flavour comes from. If the onions catch before they brown, add 1 tablespoon of water and scrape the pan.

  5. Add garlic, ginger and chilli

    5 cloves garlic20 g fresh ginger2 green chillies

    Stir in the garlic, ginger and green chillies and cook for 1–2 minutes over medium heat.

    Done when The raw sharp smell of garlic and ginger is gone and the mixture smells sweet and warm.

  6. Toast the ground spices

    2 tsp ground coriander½ tsp ground turmeric1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder

    Turn the heat to low. Add the ground coriander, turmeric and chilli powder with 2 tablespoons of water and stir for 30 seconds.

    Done when The spices turn into a thick, glossy paste with the onions and smell toasted, not dusty.

    Tip The splash of water stops ground spices from scorching, which makes them bitter.

  7. Cook the tomatoes down

    400 g ripe tomatoes7 g salt

    Add the grated tomatoes and the rest of the salt. Turn the heat to medium and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until thick.

    Done when The masala is jammy, dark brick-red and pulls away from the pan, and drops of oil appear around the edge.

    Tip Do not rush this. A masala that has not reached the oil-separating stage tastes raw and sour.

  8. Add the chickpeas

    250 g dried chickpeas

    Lift the chickpeas into the masala with a slotted spoon, then add two ladlefuls of their cooking liquid. Mash a handful of chickpeas against the side of the pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

    Done when The sauce is loose and bubbling gently, and the mashed chickpeas start to cloud it.

  9. Simmer together

    Cover partly and simmer over medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring now and then. Add more cooking liquid if it gets too thick.

    Done when The sauce coats the back of a spoon and clings to the chickpeas, and the chickpeas have taken on the colour of the masala.

  10. Finish and season

    1 tsp garam masala1 tsp amchur½ lemon15 g fresh coriander

    Stir in the garam masala and amchur and simmer for 2 minutes. Take off the heat, add the lemon juice, taste for salt and scatter the coriander over.

    Done when The curry smells fragrant and fresh, and tastes savoury with a clear sour edge.

Common mistakes

The chickpeas stay hard after an hour and a half.

Fix They are old or the water is very hard. Keep simmering, adding hot water as needed; next time add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda to the soaking water.

The sauce tastes flat and pale.

Fix The onions were not browned enough or the tomatoes were not cooked until the oil separated. Give both stages their full time.

The spices taste bitter.

Fix They scorched. Lower the heat before adding ground spices and always add a splash of water with them.

The curry is watery.

Fix Simmer uncovered for a few more minutes and mash a few more chickpeas; their starch thickens the sauce.

Serving

Serve hot with basmati rice, chapati or bhatura, with sliced raw onion, lemon wedges and a green chilli on the side.

Storage and reheating

Keeps 3 days in the fridge in a covered container; it tastes better on day two. Freezes for up to 3 months. Reheat in a pan over medium-low heat with a splash of water, stirring, until steaming throughout.

Make ahead

Cook the chickpeas up to 2 days ahead and keep them in their liquid in the fridge. The whole curry can be made a day ahead.

Variations

With canned chickpeas

Use 2 cans (about 480 g drained), rinsed, and replace the cooking liquid with water. Simmer in the masala for 20–25 minutes so they absorb the flavour.

Dark Punjabi chole

Cook the chickpeas with 1 black tea bag and 2 black cardamom pods, removed afterwards. The chickpeas turn dark brown and the sauce gains a smoky depth.

With spinach

Stir 200 g of chopped spinach into the curry during the last 5 minutes of simmering, until wilted.

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