Description
Chana Masala is a North Indian every day, anytime meal that’s protein-packed, vegan, and gluten-free. This healthy, delicious, and flavourful Chana Masala recipe cooked in a blend of spices is going to be the best one you have ever tasted! Enjoy this Chana Masala with bhaturas, rotis, pooris, naans, parathas or plain rice.
Ingredients
- 250 grams (1⅓ cup) Dried Chickpeas/Kabuli Chana/1(540 ml) Can Chickpeas
- ½ tsp Soda Bicarbonate
- 3-4 cups Water
- 1 Tea Bag (1 tsp loose tea leaves tied in cheesecloth)
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 Green Cardamons
- 2 Black Cardamons
- 4 Cloves
- 1½” Cinnamon, stick
- 1 Mace
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2 Medium Onions,1 cup onion pureé
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ginger Paste
- ½ tbsp Garlic Paste
- 2 Tomatoes,1 cup tomato pureé
- ½ tbsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- ½ tsp Tumeric Powder
- ½ tsp Coriander Powder
- ½ tsp Cumin Powder
- ½ tsp Black Peper Powder
- ½ tsp Mustard Powder
- ¼ tsp Asafoetida (Hing)
- 1 tsp Pomogranette (Anardana) Powder
- ½ tsp Fennel Seeds
- ½ tsp Caraway Seeds
- 1 tsp Dried Mango Powder
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
- 2 ½ – 3 cups of Liquid (use the leftover chickpea stock and balance it off with water)
- 1 tbsp Tamarind Pulp
- ½ tsp Garam Masala
- ½ tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves
- 1 tsp Sugar
For the Spice Tempering/Tadka
- 2 tbsp Ghee
- ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
- ½ inch Ginger, slivered
- 2 Garlic Cloves, diced
- 2 Green Chilies, slit
- 1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
Method
- Toss the dried chickpeas into a bowl and add three times the water. Add the baking soda give it a stir and allow the chickpeas to soak in the water on the kitchen counter for 10-12 hours.
- Drain out the water and put the soaked chickpeas in a pressure cooker with 3-4 cups of water. Add salt, and give it a stir. Now add the tea bag, close the pressure cooker, put on the weight and place it on medium heat, and allow it to come to pressure. Once it comes to pressure, cook it for an additional 3-4 minutes or for 4 whistles in total. Allow the pressure cooker to cool and the pressure to release. Open the pressure cooker, take out the tea bag, and discard. Pass the chickpeas through a sieve and separate the stock in a separate bowl from the chickpeas.
- Separate about two tablespoons of cooked chickpeas in a small bowl and mash them up. Leave them aside for later.
- In a heated deep pot/pan on medium heat add oil and then toss in the green cardamon, black cardamon, cloves, cinnamon, mace, and bay leaf. Saute till the oil turns aromatic.
- Add the pureéd onions and saute them till the onions turn golden. Add salt to hasten the process.
- Now add the ginger and garlic paste and continue to saute till the ginger and garlic lose their raw flavour and the onions turn golden brown.
- Pour in the pureéd tomatoes and saute till the oil begins to separate.
- Turn the heat to low and add the Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, black pepper powder, mustard powder, asafoetida, dried pomegranate (anardana) powder, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, dried mango powder, and freshly grated nutmeg. Sauté for about a minute or two.
- Toss in the cooked chickpeas and give it a mix.
- Pour in the chickpea stock and add water as needed. Give it a stir, cover it with a lid, and allow it to come to a bubble.
- Add the tamarind pulp, garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves, and sugar. Give the chana masala a stir and then add in the mashed chickpeas we had left aside earlier. Give the chana masala another stir, cover the pan, and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes or until you find the oil coming to the surface. Take it off the heat.
- To make the Tadka, in a separate heated small pan or pot on medium heat, add the ghee, and once the ghee has melted add the cumin seed, slivered ginger, minced garlic, and slit green chilies. Sauté and take it off the heat. Toss in the Kashmiri chili powder and pour the hot mix on the chana masala. Give it a gentle stir and finish it off with a garnish of finely chopped fresh cilantro.
- Channa Masala is best enjoyed with hot bhaturas, rotis, pooris, naans, parathas or plain rice
