Chana Masala Recipe (Authentic North Indian Style)

Chana Masala is a popular North Indian curry made with cooked chickpeas simmered in a tangy, spiced onion-tomato gravy with ginger, garlic and Indian spices. This vegan and gluten-free dish has bold flavors and a comforting gravy. It is commonly served with Indian flatbreads like roti, bhatura or poori, and also pairs well with steamed rice.

About Chana Masala Recipe

North Indian Punjabi cuisine is known for its bold flavors and hearty dishes, and Chana Masala is a classic example of this tradition.

Made with white chickpeas (kabuli chana) simmered in a spiced onion-tomato gravy, this dish is widely enjoyed in Punjab as well as in many North Indian homes.

The term chana means chickpeas, while masala refers to the spiced onion-tomato base or gravy in which the chickpeas are cooked.

In this recipe, dried chickpeas are first soaked and then cooked with whole spices like cinnamon, black cardamom, bay leaf and cloves.

For a deeper color, dried amla can be added while cooking the chickpeas. Alternatively, a tea bag or tea leaves tied in muslin may also be used.

The curry base is prepared by sautéing onions with ginger, garlic and spices, followed by tomatoes until the masala releases oil. The cooked chickpeas and some of their cooking stock are then added and simmered until the gravy thickens slightly.

A little dry mango powder adds a pleasant tang to the dish. If you do not have dry mango powder, you can use lemon or lime juice instead. In some regions, dried pomegranate seed powder (anardana powder) is also used for tang.

For a good Chana Masala, the chickpeas should be cooked until soft and tender. They should not feel firm when eaten. If you are short on time, you can also use canned chickpeas.

This Chana Masala recipe makes a moderately spiced curry with a gravy consistency that is neither too thick nor too thin.

The classic and traditional Punjabi Chole Masala and Rajma Masala are quite common in many Punjabi homes, and I often end up making them during the weekends as well.

During festivals or special meals, these legume dishes are often served along with favorites like Kadhi Pakora and Dal Makhani.

Since chickpeas are a pantry staple in my kitchen, you may also enjoy other regional chickpea dishes like Kadala Curry, Paneer Chole, Amritsari Chole, Pindi Chana, Chole Bhature or this South Indian Chickpea Curry made with coconut.

How to make Chana Masala (Step-By-Step)

Soak Chana

1. Rinse 1 cup dried chickpeas (or chana) for a couple of times in water. Then, soak them in about 3 cups water for 8 to 9 hours or overnight.

2. Once soaked nicely, the chickpeas will become softer, plump up and increase in size. Drain the water, rinse the chickpeas again with fresh water and add them to a 3 litre pressure cooker.

Also, add the whole spices – 1 inch cinnamon stick, 1 black cardamom, 1 small to medium tej patta (optional) and 2 to 3 cloves.

I have also added 2 to 3 pieces of dried amla (Indian gooseberry) to get the dark color in the chickpeas.

Instead of dried amla, you can add 1 black tea bag. You can also just cook the chickpeas plain with water, spices and omit adding the amla or tea bag completely.

Adding a pinch of baking soda also helps in making the chickpeas soft.

3. Add 2.5 cups water.

Cook Chana

4. Pressure cook the chickpeas on medium to medium-high heat for about 15 minutes or until completely cooked.

Let the pressure release naturally, then open the lid. The chickpeas should be soft and easily mash when pressed with a spoon.

You will notice a brown shade in the chickpeas from the amla. Remove the softened amla pieces or the tea bag from the stock.

If you prefer, you can keep the amla, mash it well and add it to the masala gravy. In that case, you may not need to add dry mango powder since the amla will give the curry a natural tang.

You can also remove the whole spices from the stock, though I usually keep them. Set the cooked chickpeas along with the stock aside.

If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can cook the chickpeas in a pot, pan or Instant Pot with plenty of water. Cooking them in a pot or pan will take longer.

Fry Green Chilies

5. Heat 2 to 2½ tablespoons oil in a kadai (wok) or pan. Keep heat to medium-low.

Add 3 to 4 slit green chilies and fry them stirring often, until you see some light golden blisters on them.

Note: Remember to slit the green chilies and fry, so that they do not burst in the oil.

Tip: Additionally feel free to leave out the chilies if you prefer. You also have the option of adding 1 or 2 green chilies to the masala base while sautéing.

6. Remove the fried chilies with a slotted spoon and place them on a kitchen paper towel. Set aside.

Sauté Onions & Spices

7. Reduce the heat to a low. In the same oil, add ¼ teaspoon carom seeds and sauté for a few seconds or until fragrant.

Note: Carom seeds are fragrant tiny seeds with an aroma similar to thyme. These flavorful seeds with a sharp taste are also called “Ajwain” in Hindi.

Tip: If you cannot source these, add ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds. Generally carom seeds are added to preparations like chana masala, as they help in digestion.

8. Add about ½ cup tightly packed chopped or finely chopped onions.

9. Stir and sauté until the onions turn translucent or light brown on a medium-low to medium heat.

10. Add 1 teaspoon ginger paste and 1 teaspoon garlic paste.

11. Sauté until their raw aroma dissipates.

Make Onion Tomato Masala

12. Add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chili powder and 1 teaspoon garam masala powder.

Instead of garam masala powder, you can also add chana masala powder.

13. Stir and mix the ground spice powders with the sautéed onions. Then add 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes.

14. Stir and mix the tomatoes very well.

15. Sauté until the tomatoes soften and the oil starts to leave the sides of the masala.

Make Chana Masala

16. Once the oil has separated and the masala looks glossy, its time to add the cooked chickpeas along with the stock (cooked water).

Make a note that instead of using the stock (the water in which the chickpeas were cooked), you could also use fresh water.

17. Stir and mix well. Add salt along with 1 teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur powder).

If you do not have dried mango powder, drizzle a bit of lemon juice according to taste, once the curry is finished cooking with.

Opt to add your preferred salt. You could also use a mix of black salt and regular salt or pink salt.

18. Mix very well and simmer Chana Masala gravy on medium-low to medium heat.

You can also mash a few chickpeas with the back of the spoon to thicken the curry.

19. Simmer till the gravy has thickened as you see in the picture below. You will see some oil specks floating on the top layer of the gravy.

Check the taste of curry and add more salt, red chili powder, garam masala powder or dried mango powder, if required.

20. Lastly, add the fried green chilies. You can also reserve the fried chilies to be used as a garnish.

21. Serve Chana Masala hot garnished with 2 to 3 teaspoons chopped coriander leaves along with Bhatura or poori or Aloo Kulcha or Paneer Kulcha.

Serve sliced onions, tomatoes and lime or lemon as accompaniments. You can also add some fried potato cubes as toppings.

Serving Suggestions

Best served hot, garnished with fresh coriander leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice for added freshness, Chana Masala pairs beautifully with a variety of Indian breads like bhatura or Naan or roti.

For a more complete meal, Chana Masala can be enjoyed with steamed basmati rice or jeera rice. Accompaniments such as pickles, sliced onions, and a fresh salad add a delightful contrast of flavors and textures.

Chana Masala recipe from the archives was first published on November 2014.