Flavourful chickpea curry popular for breakfast/brunch. Lahori Chanay deliciously spiced, simmered until tender and infused with spices resulting in soft melt in the mouth chickpea gravy.
Lahori Channay is an iconic street food staple from Lahore, a city celebrated for its vibrant and rich culinary heritage. This flavorful chickpea curry is a beloved choice for breakfast or brunch, traditionally served alongside fresh kulchas ( a type of naan with sesame on the top). Enjoy this wholesome curry for breakfast, and you’ll feel full and energized all day.
What Makes Lahori Channay Different?
Lahori Channay is a bit different from other chickpea curries you might have tried. It comes straight from the streets of Lahore, where people love bold but balanced flavors. What makes it special is the use of spices and the texture. The chickpeas are cooked to perfection in a fragrant blend of spices, creating a luscious, melt-in-your-mouth gravy.
It’s a simple dish but full of flavor, and it’s a popular breakfast or brunch choice in Lahore, usually enjoyed with poori or naan.
How to make Lahori Chanay
Making Lahori Chanay is surprisingly simple and requires just a handful of ingredients. After many trials, I’ve perfected a recipe that closely replicates the authentic street-food style spiced chickpea curry from Lahore. The only difference is that this is not as oily as the ones you find it in restaurants. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Dried Chickpeas (Channay) – For the best texture and flavor, soak dried chickpeas overnight and boil them until tender. If you’re short on time, canned chickpeas are a convenient alternative that also work well in this recipe.
- Fresh Ginger and Garlic Paste – Using fresh ginger-garlic paste enhances the aroma and depth of this traditional Pakistani chickpea curry.
- Traditional Pakistani Spices – A fragrant blend including chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin seeds, black pepper, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and black cardamom pods. These spices give Lahori Chanay its signature bold yet balanced flavor.
- Secret Ingredients for Perfect Texture – Baking soda is added during soaking or cooking to help tenderize the chickpeas quickly and evenly. Orange lentils (masoor dal) are included to naturally thicken the curry, resulting in a rich, creamy consistency without the need for onions or tomatoes.
If you’re curious, this classic recipe intentionally leaves out onions and tomatoes, unlike many other chickpea curries, allowing the unique spice blend and texture to shine through.
Lahori Chana Spice Mix
Making a fresh Lahori chana spice mix is essential to achieve the true authentic taste of this traditional Pakistani chickpea curry. This aromatic blend includes cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, green cardamom, black peppercorns, and cinnamon sticks. The whole spices are dry roasted until fragrant, then ground into a fine powder.
This homemade spice mix yields more than what’s needed for a single recipe, so store the extra in an airtight jar for up to 4 weeks. It’s perfect not only for Lahori Channay but also adds depth to other chickpea dishes and a variety of Pakistani curries.
Watch How to Make Lahori Channay – Spiced Chickpea Curry
Tips on making Lahori Chanay
Follow these simple tips to get the best authentic flavor in your Lahori chickpea curry:
- Cook garlic and ginger on low heat to gently release their aroma without burning. When adding spices, keep the flame low and stir continuously to prevent burning. If needed, add a splash of water to keep the spices from sticking.
- Don’t discard the chickpea cooking water. This flavorful liquid, similar to chickpea stock, adds depth and richness to the curry’s gravy. Use it to enhance the overall taste.
- Mash about 40% of the cooked chickpeas at the end. Authentic Lahori Chanay has a perfect balance of creamy mashed chickpeas and some whole ones, giving it the signature texture and mouthfeel.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH LAHORI CHANAY
Lahori Chanay are traditionally served with soft, fluffy naan or crispy poori (deep-fried flatbread), making a perfect breakfast or brunch combination. While some enjoy it with plain steamed rice, the authentic Lahori way is definitely to pair this flavorful chickpea curry with naan or poori for the best taste experience.
Other Vegetarian Recipes to try
Got any questions? Ask Me! I’m happy to help if you have any question. If you try this recipe and like it or have some suggestions, leave some comments below.
Lahori Chanay – Spiced Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
Spice Mix
- 1 tbsp Cumin
- 1 tbsp Coriander
- 5-6 Cloves
- 10 Black Peppercorns
- 1 Black Cardamom
- 2 Pieces of Cinamon Sticks
Chickpea Gravy
- 800 g Boiled or Canned Chickpeas
- ⅓ cup Red Lentil
- 1 tbsp Garlic Paste
- 1 tbsp Ginger Paste
- 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Baking Soda
- ¼ tsp Turmeric
- ¼ Cup Oil
- Fresh Coriander and Chillies
Instructions
- If using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight. Drain and boil them in a pot of water until tender and cooked through. Reserve about 31/2 cups of the cooking water for later use. (If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them.)
- Dry roast the whole spices (cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, cardamom, black peppercorns, cinnamon sticks) for about 1 minute until fragrant. Grind them into a fine powder. You will need 1 tablespoon for the recipe; store any extra in an airtight jar for up to 4 weeks.
- In a pot heat oil and add garlic ginger paste. Fry on low heat for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add red chili powder, turmeric, and 1 tablespoon of the prepared spice mix. Fry for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the oil begins to separate from the spices. Add a splash of water if the spices start to stick to the pan.
- Wash and rinse red lentils and add them in. Fry for 2-3 minute and add half cup of water. Cover and cook for 15 minutes on low flame.
- Add chickpeas along with around 3 cups of water saved from boiled chickpeas. The water should be enough to cover the chickpeas. If you are using canned chickpeas you can use normal water.
- Add salt and baking soda. Bring it to boil and then cover and allow it to cook for 30 minutes.
- Using potato masher, mash chickpeas slightly. Mash around 40% of chickpeas. The curry will start to thicken up. Once the curry is bubbling it ready.
- Garnish with fresh coriander/cilantro and green chilli. Serve with Naan or poori
This recipe is just perfect and so easy to follow. Made channa following the recipe and turned out perfect !!
The best chickpea curry i made. Used canned chickpeas and it was so quick and delicious!!!
Thats great to hear and the canned chickpeas actually make it a very quick recipe.
This is the best lahori channa i have ever made. Authetic taste and such an easy recipe. Never knew you need red lentils, its definitely gives the right consistency
My husband is from Lahore and we made this recipe with all the ingredients and he loved it! Said it was even better than a restaurant near us that makes lahori channay! Only tip I have is I let the salan simmer for a longer time than the recipe recommends . Thank you so much for sharing this!
Made these for eid brunch and they were a hit. They are so much like traditional channay you get from shops in lahore but without the extra oil.and spiciness. The taste and texture of these chickpeas is perfect.
Thankyou Fatima. Im glad that you liked the recipe. And yes homemade is definitely better !