Chana Masala — Spiced Chickpea Curry
“This is the dish I make most often when I want something filling, affordable, and genuinely satisfying. Good canned chickpeas work perfectly well here — just rinse them well. I serve this with rice or puri and it’s one of those meals that everyone always wants more of.”
What You’ll Need
- 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 large onions, finely diced
- 3 ripe tomatoes, diced (or 1 can chopped tomatoes)
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1½ tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp amchur (dried mango powder) or juice of ½ lemon
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 3 tbsp oil
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander
- Sliced ginger to garnish
Let’s Cook — Step by Step
- Step 1 — Heat oil in a heavy pan. Cook onions over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until deep golden brown. This cannot be rushed — the colour of your onions determines the depth of the curry.
- Step 2 — Add ginger-garlic paste. Stir 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Step 3 — Add tomatoes, turmeric, chili powder, coriander and cumin powder. Cook for 10–12 minutes until the tomatoes break down and oil separates from the masala.
- Step 4 — Add the chickpeas. Stir to coat completely.
- Step 5 — Add 300ml water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes. Mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken the gravy.
- Step 6 — Add garam masala and amchur. Stir and simmer 5 more minutes. Adjust salt.
- Step 7 — Garnish with fresh coriander and thin slices of ginger.
Kitchen Tip: Don’t rush the onions. Golden-brown onions are what gives the gravy its richness — take the full 15 minutes.
Made with fresh ingredients & kitchen love ♥ — meozmedia.com
