Chickpea Curry Recipe - Chana Masala

Chole Recipe with Kabuli chana

Chickpea curry is also known as channa masala or chole. It is a popular Indian Curry. You will find it in almost all restaurants.It is easy to make vegetarian curry.

Chickpeas are good for you and they are also part of comfort foods.

There are many chickpea recipes and this chickpea recipe is a popular one. Most restaurants have this curry on their menu.

Chana Masala is generally served with Indian Breads such as :

Poori, Chapati, Bhatura etc. Many restaurants serve Chana - Bhatura as a snack or a dinner item.

I like to make this chickpea curry with lots of gravy. You can make the gravy as thick or thin as you and your family likes. You can see the difference in the consistency of gravy in both the images of chana masala on this page.

We are using the white big sized dry chickpeas(garbanzo beans), called Kabuli chana, for this curry.

Using brown, green or black chickpeas for this, will change the taste of this curry. But you may make a curry with those chickpeas too.

How to make Chickpea curry - Chole -
Chana Masala

Ingredients for chickpea curry:

• Dry white Chickpeas - 1 cup
• Red ripe tomatoes - 2 cups chopped.
• Green chilies - 2.
  
• Onion - 1 cup chopped fine.
• Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp or to taste
• Oil or ghee(clarified butter) - 2 tablespoons
• Cumin seed - 1/2 teaspoon
• Asafetida - a big pinch.
  
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp or to taste.
  
• Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup chopped.

Preparation before making chole masala:

1. Use white large chickpeas, . Wash the chickpeas. Add 3 cups of water. Soak for 6-8 hours or overnight.
   
2. Boil or pressure cook till chickpeas are soft. It will take about 20 minutes.
   
3. Add a little salt while cooking.
   
4. Chop onions, coriander leaves.
   
5. Chop/slit green chili. Puree tomatoes.

Cooking Method:

1. In a deep pan, heat oil/ghee. Add cumin seeds.
   
2. When they stop spluttering, add onion. Fry till onions turn transparent.
3. Add ginger and garlic paste. Fry for about 5 seconds.
   
4. Add tomato puree. Cook for about 7-8 minutes or till oil starts separating (floating on top).
   
5. Add garam masala, asafetida, red chili powder and cooked chickpeas along with the water. Cook for 5 minutes.
   
6. Add salt. Cook for 5-8 minutes more.
   
7. Add chopped coriander leaves.
   

Channa Masala is ready. Garnish with more chopped coriander leaves, onion rings.

Serve with any Indian Breads, Such as Bhatura , Poori , Paratha , Chapati etc.

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