Chana Masala
One of the most popular dishes in both India and Pakistan, chana masala cooked in a spicy tomato-based sauce.
Ingredients
- 800 g Chickpeas See Notes
- 1 Large Chopped Onion
- 1 Large Tomatoe (pureed) See Notes
- 1 tsp Garlic paste
- 1 tsp Ginger Paste
- 2 Medium Green Chillies Chopped
- 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Crushed Red Chilli See Notes
- 1 whole Bay leaves
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- ¼ tsp Cracked Black Pepper
- 1½ tsp Salt
- ¼ cup Oil
- Chopped Coriander/Cilantro
Instructions
- In a pot heat oil and add bay leaf along with cumin seeds. Temper them for half a minute.
- Add chopped onions and fry until translucent. Add garlic and ginger and fry for a minute.
- Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, crushed red chilli and turmeric. If spices are sticking to bottom of pan add table spoon of water.
- Add pureed tomatoes and stir in. Cook until oil starts to separate. Add ¼ cup of water and cover the pot. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes.
- Add chickpeas and mix. pour ½ cup of water or just enough to cover the chickpeas. Add salt, cracked pepper and garam masala.
- Cover and cook on medium low heat for 15 -20 mins.
- At this stage, the gravy would have thickened. Gently mash some chickpeas with laddle.
- Garnish with coriander/cilantro and serve with naan or rice.
Notes
- You can use raw chickpeas or canned ones.
- If you are using raw chickpeas, they need to be soaked overnight which means around 8-9 hrs. They are then boiled until fully cooked through. You can add a quarter spoon of bicarb (baking) Soda, this helps to tenderise the chickpeas easily.
- Fresh tomatoes can be pureed in food processor or canned tomatoes can also be used.
- If you want to make it less spicy, reduce the quantity of each type chilli. But don't omit any one it as they all have an individual taste that contributes to