Chana Masala Recipe

Ingredients

• 1½ tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 thumb of ginger, grated
• 1–2 green chillies, slit
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cans chickpeas (about 480 g drained), rinsed
• 2 tsp garam masala (not counted)
• Salt to taste
• A handful of fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

1. 1Heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium heat and add the cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add the onions and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden.
2. 2Add the garlic, ginger and green chillies and stir for a minute until fragrant.
3. 3Stir in the ground coriander, turmeric and chilli powder with a splash of water so the spices don't burn, then add the tomatoes.
4. 4Cook the masala for 8–10 minutes, mashing the tomatoes, until it thickens and the oil starts to separate at the edges.
5. 5Add the chickpeas and 250 ml water, season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes. Crush a few chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken the gravy.
6. 6Stir in the garam masala, lemon juice and fresh coriander, and serve with roti, rice or a cucumber raita.

Chana masala recipe: nutrition per serving

One of 4 servings. Estimated from the ingredient weights above and per-100 g values in USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy); brands and cooking change the real numbers. Not counted, because USDA SR Legacy has no record for them: garam masala.

Tips

• Don't rush the onions: their colour decides the colour and depth of the gravy.
• A teabag simmered with the chickpeas for 5 minutes gives the darker colour of street-style chole without changing the taste much.
• Measure the oil. It is the main source of fat in the dish, and more doesn't make the masala better.

Swaps and variations

• Vegan and gluten-free as written; check that your garam masala and asafoetida (if you add it) contain no wheat.
• Add a handful of spinach at the end for saag chana, or cubed potato with the water for aloo chana.

Storage

Keeps 4 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer. It thickens overnight, so loosen it with a splash of water when you reheat.