Chana Masala

My cousin had asked me to post the recipe for Chana Masala a few days (ahem, months ) back… Though this dish is a regular at home, I was skeptical of posting this – mainly because this is my own version …

Friends often ask me if the recipes posted in this blog are my own recipes or not.. Nope, almost all the recipes posted till date are from magazines, or cookery shows or given to me by friends and relatives. I am too bad in inventing new dishes – I know people who create dishes on the spur of the moment, adding a little bit of this and a little bit of that..  But I need a clear recipe beforehand and most of the time follow the measurement to a tee..

So that was my confusion – whether my recipe is worth posting  🙂 … Last day, after having Chana Masala for dinner , my son declared that it tastes like restaurant version… and that was my green signal to go ahead..

I think, the authentic recipe calls for amchoor powder (dried mango powder) and crushed pomegranate seeds.. But I use the shortcut version – Chana Masala powder …

So let’s get to the recipe..

Ingredients

• Chickpeas, soaked overnight – 2 cups
• Onions, sliced – 2
• Ginger paste – 1 tsp
• Garlic paste – 1/2 tsp
• Green chilly , slit – 2
• Tomato, chopped – 1
• Kashmiri chilly powder – 3/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 3 tsp
• Garam Masala – 1 tsp
• Chana Masala powder – 2 tsp
• Cardamom – 3
• Cloves – 2
• Cinnamon – 1/4 ” piece
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Oil – 3 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Sugar – a pinch
• Coriander leaves – a few sprigs

Method

1. Mix the chilly, turmeric , coriander and garam masala powders with a little water to form a smooth paste. Keep this aside.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add cardamom, cloves , cinnamon and cumin seeds.
3. Add the chopped onions , slit green chillies and saute them in medium flame, till they turn light brown in colour.
4. Add the ginger paste and garlic paste and saute well.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute till they turn soft.
6. Add the chilly, turmeric , coriander and garam masala  powder mixture and saute well.
7. Toss in the chickpeas and stir well.
8. Add about 1 cup of water and enough salt. Close the pressure cooker and cook the chickpeas. (After 1 whistle, keep the flame low and cook for about 12 minutes).
9. Lightly mash the chickpeas in the gravy (this is to get a thicker consistency).
10. Add 2 tsp of Chana Masala, chopped coriander leaves and cook on medium flame, with the lid open, for 3-4 minutes . Add a pinch of sugar and turn off the flame.
11. Garnish with chopped onions, ginger strips and coriander leaves. Serve hot.

 

• Chana Masala
• Chickpeas
• Choley Masala
• corainder powder
• cumin seeds
• garam masala
• Vegetarian