Channa masala is an aromatic and delicious Indian curry made with boiled chickpeas cooked in an onion tomato base along with few other aromatics and spices. It is usually served with pooris, dosa, chapathi or even a simple jeera rice like i served when i made this.
It is usually a quick one pot dish if you have cooked/ canned chickpeas on hand. This can also be made in a pressure cooker with just soaked chickpeas.
Let’s check out the recipe!
INGREDIENTS
Serves – 3-4
- Chickpeas/Garbanzo peas – 2 cups, cooked
- Onion – 1 large, finely chopped
- Green chilli – 1-2, slit into 2 (optional)
- Tomato – 1 medium, finely chopped
- Tomato pulp – Made from 1 large tomato
- Ginger garlic paste – 1.5 tsp
- Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
- Bay leaf – 1
- Cloves – 3
- Cinnamon – 1 small piece
- Kashmiri red chilli powder – 1 tsp
- Red chilli powder (hot) – ½ tsp
- Garam masala – ½ tsp
- Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
- Coriander powder – 1 tsp
- Channa masala powder – 1.5 tsp (refer notes*)
- Oil – 2 tbsp
- Water – As required
- Salt – to taste
- Lemon juice – 1-2 tsp (optional)
- Coriander leaves – to garnish
METHOD
1. Heat oil in a wok/kadai. Add in the cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and sauté for few seconds till you get a nice aroma.
2. Add the finely chopped onions, green chilli and sauté till the onions turn translucent and soft.
3. Once the onions turn soft add the ginger garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away.
4. Add the chilli powder , turmeric powder, garam masala and coriander powder.
5. Sauté till the whole mixture leaves out oil.
6. Now add the chopped tomato and tomato pulp. Add little salt and mix well. Close and let cook for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium flame
7.Open and cook for another 2- 3 minutes till the oil oozes out from the masala.
8. Add the cooked chickpeas along with the cooked water and mix well. Check for salt and let it come to a boil. Let cook for few more minutes for more thickness.
9. Take off the flame and mix in the lemon juice. Garnish with finely chopped coriander and serve.
NOTES
- Channa masala (store bought) can be added to this dish for an enhanced flavour.
- Add the lemon juice after you take the preparation off the flame or else there might be a bitter taste to the gravy/
- Adding tomato pulp is completely optional. Instead you and use 1 medium and 1 large tomato finely chopped and cook till the mixture turns mushy.
The Greedy Tummy 