Chana Masala, also known as Chole Masala, is a vegetarian Indian Chickpea Curry. This favorite curry is hearty and delicious and can be found on almost every Indian restaurant menu and in Indian homes.

This is ready in less than 30 minutes and can be easily added to your weekday dinner rotation. It can be served with naan, rotis, or basmati rice.

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Chole and Batura, or Chana masala, an Indian deep-fried bread, was one of my favorites as a child. As a child, you know that anything fried is always a winner. It is always a winner! Poori or batura was always my favorite order. Pooris were usually served with potato masala, while natural was served with chana masala.

The mildly sourdough of Bhatura, with its crispiness and deep-fried crustiness, was the perfect complement to the delicious, hearty chole masala.

Chana masala traditionally contains onions, ginger, and garlic. It can also be made with various spices such as tomatoes, chickpeas, and spices. This vegetarian curry is rich in protein and has a hearty flavor, thanks to chickpeas.

This curry is also known as chole masala or chana masala. Some claim there is a slight difference between the two. This chickpea curry is known by both its names. However, Punjabi chole is different because it includes spices such as Anardana/ Pomegranate seeds, Amchur/ Dry Mango powder, and Black Cardamom. It is thicker, darker, and more tomato-ey in color.

My chana curry combines regular chana masala and Punjabi chole masala. To give this curry that earthy, tangy flavor I love, I use amchur. My curry should be darker than orange-red.

How can you get a darker, deeper red color in chole masala?

Many people may need to learn this trick, but it is essential to use tea bags. When the chole masala simmers, add one to two plain black tea bags and then remove the bag once the curry has finished.

Although it sounds strange, you won’t taste any tea in the curry. It adds a deep red hue to the curry.

Can canned chickpeas be used to make chana masala?

Can you use canned chickpeas? However, I love dried cooked chickpeas when I soak them in advance. Channeling chickpeas can be a good substitute in an emergency.

Pressure-cooked chickpeas absorb the curry’s flavor better than canned ones. Candid chickpeas should be drained, rinsed, and then added to boiling water. Let it cook for about 5 minutes. This water can be used to boil the chickpeas and to make the curry.

How do you make chana masala

Chana masala is a combination of chickpeas and tomato-onion sauce.

Ingredients for making chana masala

  • For 6-8 hours, or overnight, soak dried chickpeas with enough water to cover them. The water should be drained. Let the water drain. Add the chickpeas, fresh water (about 1:2 ratio chickpeas to water), salt, and pressure cook.
  • Cook the water in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker for three whistles. Then let it release the pressure and then open the pressure cooker. Do not drain the water.
  • For Instant Pot Pressure Cooking, please turn it on manually and allow 20 minutes with Natural Pressure Release.
  • Heat the oil in a large stockpot on medium heat. Add chopped red onions to the pot. Combine green chillies and ginger with garlic. After the onions are softened, add the crushed mixture to the bank. Cook for a few minutes.
  • Mix the chopped tomatoes with this mixture and cook for approximately 4-5 minutes.
  • Mix all spices except the amchur/dry mango powder and the garam masala/chole masala spice to make this curry. Stir well. Let cook for about 1-2 minutes—season with salt.
  • Add the chickpeas to the water. Finally, add the tea bags and a bay leaf.
  • Allow simmering for 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Every once in a while, check to ensure there is still enough water for the curry base. If not, add 1/4 – 1/2 cups of water at a time.
  • To thicken the curry, open the pot and mash some chickpeas using a potato masher or the back end of your spoon. Take out the tea bags, bay leaf, and bay leaf. Turn off the heat and add the amchur, chole masala, and bay leaf.
  • Mix all ingredients and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.

This can be done ahead of time or frozen.

Yes, absolutely. Because the flavors are infused into the chickpeas more, I love leftover chana masala.

It can be frozen by placing it in a freezer-friendly Tupperware container. The liquid portion of the curry will expand when it freezes, so don’t fill the container to the top.

What can you make with chana masala?

Chana masala tastes best when accompanied by naan, basis, or batura. You can also enjoy it with fresh hot chapatis/ rotis. You can also serve it over jeera or basmati rice.

Chana Masala – Chole Masala

Chana Masala is also known as Chole, an Indian Chickpea curry. This famous curry is hearty and delicious and can be made in less than 30 minutes. It’s best served with basmati or naan rice.

Ingredients

  • 5-6 cups of boiled chickpeas, or three cans of chickpeas
  • Three tablespoons oil
  • One finely chopped red onion
  • Peel three cloves of garlic
  • 1-inch ginger
  • 2 Thai green chillies
  • Two medium tomatoes finely chopped
  • One teaspoon of turmeric powder
  • One teaspoon of cumin powder
  • One teaspoon of cayenne Red chili powder
  • One bag of black tea
  • One bay leaf
  • Two teaspoons amchur dry mango powder
  • 2 tsp chole masala
  • 1/4 cup minced cilantro
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven on medium heat. Add chopped red onions.

Combine green chillies with ginger and garlic.

After the onions are softened, add the crushed mixture to the pot. Cook for a few minutes.

Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook for about 4-5 minutes.

Mix all spices except the amchur/dry mango powder and the garam masala/chole masala spice to make this curry. Stir well. Let cook for about 1-2 minutes—season with salt.

Add the cooked chickpeas to the water. Finally, add the bay leaf and the teabags.

Allow simmering for 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Every once in a while, check to ensure there is still enough water for the curry base. If not, add 1/4 – 1/2 cups of water at a time.

To thicken the curry, open the pot and mash some chickpeas using a potato masher or the back end of your spoon. Take out the bay leaf and the tea bags.

Add the amchur and the chole masala to the heat and turn it off.

Combine well and garnish with fresh minced cilantro.

Notes

If you don’t have canned chickpeas on hand, cook them by soaking them in enough water to cover them for 6-8 hours or overnight. The water should be drained. Let the water drain. Add the chickpeas, fresh water (about 1:2 ratio of chickpeas per water), salt, and pressure cook. Cook the chickpeas in a traditional pressure cooker on the stovetop. After three whistles, release the pressure and open the pressure cooker. Do not drain the water.