Instant Pot Chana Masala

5 from 7 votes

Instant Pot Chana Masala is an easy one-pot curry made with chickpeas cooked in a spiced onion-tomato gravy in the Instant Pot. This vegan and gluten-free dish uses regular Indian spices and cooks quickly. It pairs well with steamed rice or Indian flatbreads for a comforting meal.

Prep Time8

Cook Time45

Total Time8 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: North Indian, Punjabi

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 320kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

For Soaking Chickpeas

1 cup dried white chickpeas (white chana or chole) - soaked overnight
3 cups water or as required for soaking chickpeas

Other Ingredients

3 tablespoons oil - sunflower oil, peanut oil or any neutral flavored oil
1 inch cinnamon
6 cloves
1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
2 black cardamoms
1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
1 teaspoon cumin
½ cup finely chopped onions or 1 medium sized onion, 50 to 60 grams
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 to 3 green chilies slit or whole - note that keeping the chillies whole won't make the chana masala spicy.
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes or 2 medium-sized tomatoes
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon kashmir red chilli powder or deghi mirch or 1 teaspoon sweet paprika or ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups water
salt as required
1 teaspoon garam masala or punjabi garam masala powder
1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder) or add as required
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

Serving Suggestions

some sliced onions
few lemon wedges
few green chillies - optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Soak White Chickpeas

Rinse the chickpeas very well in fresh water for a couple of times.
Then soak them overnight or for 8 to 9 hours in enough water. Later drain all the water from the soaked chickpeas.
Rinse them again in fresh water for a couple of times. Drain all the water and set aside.

Sauté Ingredients

Switch on the 6 Quart Instant Pot and press the sauté button setting the time to 12 minutes on normal mode.
Keep all the ingredients ready before you begin.
Add oil in the steel insert and let it become hot (but not smoking hot). You can use any neutral flavored oil.
Add the cinnamon, cloves, black cardamoms, tej patta, cumin seeds and carom seeds. Mix and stir. Let them crackle and splutter.
Add onions and sauté them till translucent.
Now add finely chopped ginger, garlic and slit green chillies.
Sauté for about 6 to 7 seconds. While sautéing, if the ingredients start sticking or the heat is too much, then reduce the sauté setting to low.
Alternatively you can sprinkle some water and deglaze.
Next add chopped tomatoes and sauté stirring often till they soften and become pulpy.
If the tomatoes start sticking, then sprinkle some water. Mix and continue to sauté.
Add turmeric and kashmiri red chilli powder. Mix very well and sauté for 3 to 4 seconds.

Make Instant Pot Chana Masala

Add soaked chickpeas. Mix very well and deglaze the pan. Then add salt as per taste.
Add water and deglaze the pan if required.
Cover and seal with the Instant Pot lid. Position the pressure valve to the sealing position.
Press the cancel button and press the pressure cook button. Select high pressure and set the time for 30 minutes.
Once the pressure cooking is complete and after the beep is heard, wait for 12 to 15 minutes or more for natural pressure release (NPR).
If steam is there, then lift the valve and do a quick pressure release (QPR). Check to see if the chickpeas are cooked and softened.
If the chickpeas are undercooked, then pressure cook for 5 more minutes or as needed.
Now press the cancel button again and press the sauté button setting the time to 10 minutes on normal mode.
Let the chickpea curry come to a simmer. Mash a few chickpeas before the curry starts simmering. This helps in thickening the gravy.
Simmer till you get the desired gravy consistency (which is neither thin nor very thick but medium or slightly thick consistency).
Next add garam masala powder and dry mango powder. If you do not have dry mango powder, then add ½ to 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
Mix well and simmer for a minute. If the gravy becomes too thick, then add some water.  
Serve Chana Masala garnished with some coriander leaves (cilantro) with a side of steamed rice, cumin rice, bread, dinner rolls, roti, puri or bhatura.
Do keep a side of some finely chopped onions, lemon wedges and green chillies.

Notes

Chickpeas: Use chickpeas which are fresh and in their shelf-period. Avoid using aged or old chickpeas as they do not cook well and take a lot of time. Also, you don’t get the best taste and texture with old chickpeas.
Onions: You can use both red onions or white onions.
Tomatoes: You can use canned tomatoes in the recipe. Crush the canned tomatoes and add 1 cup of it. You can even add ½ cup of tomato puree, if you do not have fresh tomatoes.
Black cardamom: There is a slight smoky flavor in the chickpea curry due to black cardamoms. So, it an essential ingredient. However, skip if you do not have it. The smoky hints won’t be there, but the dish will still taste good.
Spicing: You can increase or reduce the quantity of spice powders, especially Kashmiri red chili powder. Do not increase the garam masala powder, but you can reduce the quantity. You can even add chana masala powder instead of garam masala powder.
Choice of fat: For a non-vegan version, you can make this recipe with ghee (clarified butter), instead of oil. It will give a rich taste to the chickpea curry.

Nutrition