5-Step Chana Masala Recipe to Try at Home

After binge eating all the pizza, pasta, and momos, we all crave that home-cooked comfort food. If you are looking for a flavourful and delicious recipe to delight yourself and your loved-ones, then Chana Masala is a dish you must consider. It is a protein-packed, vegan, and gluten-free dish that can be relished with chapati, puri, naan, steamed rice, or fried rice. Here is an easy, authentic Chana Masala recipe to try at home.

Ingredients For Chana Masala

• 1 and a 1/2 cups chickpea chana
• 10 cloves garlic
• 2 inch piece ginger
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 3 medium chopped sized onions
• 5–6 ripe medium tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon chana masala powder
• 2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Chana Masala Recipe

1. Begin by soaking the chana overnight, or for at least 8 hours. Next, pressure cook the chana in 1.5 cups of water until it reaches a tender consistency, which should take around 5 whistles. Once cooked, set the chana aside for further preparation.
2. Heat oil in a pan and sauté a mixture of onion, tomato, ginger, and garlic until it becomes soft and mushy. Let the mixture cool down, then add fennel seeds and peppercorns to it. Blend everything together in a mixer to form a smooth paste. Set the paste aside for later use.
3. In a pressure cooker, heat oil over medium heat. Begin by tempering the spices, then add sliced onions and sauté until they turn golden brown. Next, add the blended tomato-onion paste, followed by the spice powders. Mix everything together thoroughly to combine.
4. Once the spices are fragrant, add the cooked chana and its water. Pressure cook for 1 whistle, then season with salt. Adjust the gravy's consistency by adding more water if needed, and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. When oil separates and the consistency is right, garnish with coriander leaves and lemon juice. Serve Chana Masala hot with bhatura or rotis!

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Credits: Freepik