Chana Masala
North Indian chickpea curry, sharp with tomato and finished with a squeeze of lemon. Vegan without trying, and better on the second day.
- Time
- 35 mins
- Serves
- 4
- Steps
- 7
- Ingredients
- 10
Method
- 01
Heat the oil and crackle the cumin seeds for 20 seconds.
- 02
Add the onions and fry patiently for 10 minutes until genuinely browned, not just soft. This is where the depth comes from.
- 03
Stir in the ginger garlic paste and cook 2 minutes until the raw smell goes.
- 04
Add the tomatoes, turmeric and ground coriander. Cook down for 8 minutes until the oil separates out at the edges.
- 05
Tip in the drained chickpeas with 1 cup of water and simmer for 10 minutes.
- 06
Mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken the sauce naturally.
- 07
Finish with the garam masala and amchur or lemon juice. Serve with rice or hot flatbread.
Cooking Tips
- Brown the onions properly - a full 10 minutes. Soft translucent onions give a thin, flat curry.
- Cook the tomatoes until the oil separates at the edges. That visual cue is how you know the base is done.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Dried chickpeas soaked overnight have better texture than tinned, but tinned are much quicker.
- Lemon juice replaces amchur at roughly double the quantity.
What to Serve With It
- Serve with rice, roti or hot flatbread, and sliced raw onion.
Storage and Reheating
- Better the next day. Keeps 4 days in the fridge.
- Freezes well for 3 months.
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