About Indian Chana Curry
Indian cuisine, known for its vibrant flavours and aromatic spices, boasts an array of delicious and nutritious dishes. Among these, chana masala stands out as one of the most popular vegetarian main courses. We make different variations of chana curry at least once every week either with spinach (chana saag) or with loads of spices truly Delhi-style chana masala. Chana Masala is not just a dish; it’s an experience that brings the essence of North Indian style cooking to your kitchen – also known as chole or chana curry. It’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or a protein-packed vegetarian meal. You can find more easy and tasty instant pot friendly curry recipes in my debut cookbook The 100 Best Curries for your Instant Pot.
How To Make Chana Masala
Prep Chickpeas (Chana):
vegan gluten-free one pot recipe no nuts or sugar meal prep friendly requires basic cooking skills
Begin by draining and rinsing the canned chickpeas thoroughly under cold water. This helps remove excess sodium and any preservatives used in the canning process. Let them sit on a colander. Gently pat with a kitchen paper towel.
Cooking the Curry Base:
Heat the vegetable oil or ghee in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until they turn golden brown. This process takes about 5 – 6 minutes and is crucial for developing the base flavour of the curry.
Add the ginger garlic paste, ground spices except garam masala, salt, and diced tomatoes. Sauté for an additional 2 – 3 minutes until the curry masala base comes together.
Introduce Chickpeas:
Once the curry base is well-cooked, add the rinsed chickpeas to the pot. Stir to coat the chickpeas evenly with the spiced tomato mixture. Pour in the water. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. This allows the chickpeas to absorb the flavours of the spices. If the curry becomes too thick, add more water or coconut milk to get the desired consistency.
Finishing Touches: After simmering, check the seasoning of the chana curry and adjust salt or spice levels as needed. Add the garam masala, sliced green chillies (optional), lemon juice, and half of the chopped coriander, and stir well.
Serving Suggestion
Chana Masala Curry is a hearty, wholesome, and vegetarian Indian main course dish. Serve it with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice, peas pulao or soft, pillowy naan bread. To serve a complete Indian meal accompany it with side dishes like mint raita, kachumber salad or sliced onions, and chutney.
More Indian Curry Recipes
Paneer Curry Potato Curry Chicken Curry Cauliflower Curry Veg Keema Curry Mughlai Egg Curry
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