Chana Masala
Chana Masala is a bold, comforting chickpea curry with a thick tomato-onion sauce and fragrant spices in every bite. This quick version delivers deep flavor, gentle heat, and a tangy finish that makes it especially satisfying with rice or flatbread.
Ingredients
Masala base
- 15 mlneutral oil
- 150 gonion, finely diced
- 10 ggarlic, minced
- 10 gginger, finely grated
- 1 small (optional)green chili, finely chopped
- 1 tspground cumin
- 2 tspground coriander
- 1/4 tspturmeric
- 1/2 tspKashmiri chili powder
- 1/2 tspgaram masala
Curry
- 480 gcanned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 250 gtomatoes, finely chopped
- 15 gtomato paste
- 180 mlwater
- 1 tspamchur
- 1 tspsalt
- 1/4 tspblack pepper
To finish
- 10 gfresh coriander leaves, chopped
- 10 mllemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Prepare everything before you start: finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, chop the green chili if using, chop the tomatoes, and drain and rinse the chickpeas. This mise en place helps the curry cook quickly within 30 minutes.
- 2
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden at the edges. Add the garlic, ginger, and green chili; cook for 30-45 seconds until fragrant, without letting the garlic brown.
- 3
Lower the heat slightly and add the ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder, and garam masala. Stir for about 20 seconds to bloom the spices in the oil; if the pan looks dry, immediately move to the next step so the spices do not scorch.
- 4
Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring and pressing the tomatoes with a spoon, until the mixture thickens, looks glossy, and the oil begins to separate slightly at the edges. This stage builds the deep flavor of the masala.
- 5
Add the chickpeas, water, amchur, salt, and black pepper. Stir well, then lightly mash about one quarter of the chickpeas with the back of a spoon to help thicken the sauce naturally.
- 6
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick but still spoonable and the chickpeas are fully coated. If it becomes too thick, add a splash of water; if too thin, simmer uncovered for another 1-2 minutes.
- 7
Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh coriander leaves and lemon juice. Let the curry rest for 2 minutes so the flavors settle, then taste and adjust salt or sourness if needed before serving.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Serve with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice, or roti.
- •For a more restaurant-style texture, blend half the tomatoes before cooking or mash a few more chickpeas at the end.
- •If using very tart tomatoes, reduce the lemon juice slightly.
- •Kashmiri chili powder gives color and mild heat; substitute sweet paprika plus a pinch of hot chili if needed.
Background
Chana Masala is a beloved North Indian chickpea curry, especially associated with Punjab, where chickpeas are often cooked with onion, tomato, and warming spices. Its tangy profile commonly comes from ingredients such as amchur or pomegranate powder, giving the dish its characteristic bright, savory depth.
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