Chana Masala – How to make Chole Masala

Chana Masala or Chole Masala is a Punjabi side dish that is served with roti, naan, poori/bhaturas. It is made with chickpeas (garbanzo beans) in onion-tomato gravy along with spices. This is our family favourite and we like to have it even with dosa,rice & bread.. Do check my Rajma Masala recipe too.

Now to the recipe…

Chana Masala Ingredients:

• White chickpeas – 1 cup (soaked over night)
• Tea Bag – 1 (optional)
• Onion – 2 medium
• Tomato – 2 medium
• Ginger – 1 inch pc
• Salt – as needed
• Oil – 3 tbsp

For the Chana Masala Powder 

• Coriander – 1 tbsp
• Jeera / Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Pepper corns – 5 to 6
• Fennel Seeds – 1 tsp
• Cloves – 3
• Elaichi – 2
• Star Anise – 1
• Bay Leaf – 1
• Red Chillies – 2

Method:

• Soak chickpeas overnight. Pressure cook with water upto immersing level along with salt & 1 tea bag for 5-6 whistles. Meanwhile dry roast the ingredients mentioned for the chana masala powder until slightly brown & a nice aroma comes from it.

• Cool the dry roasted ingredients and grind it into a powder. Heat a pan with oil, add finely chopped onions and ginger pieces and saute until onions are transparent. Add chopped tomatoes and saute until they are mushy.

• Add required salt and the ground chana masala powder and mix. Saute until raw smell goes off and oil oozes out. Add the cooked chickpeas (discard the tea bag) along with the water to the onion tomato gravy. Cook this in low-medium flame for a few more mins until everything blends well.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Chana Masala-Chole Masala  is ready.

Serve hot with roti, naan or poori.

Tips:

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight or atleast for 4-6 hrs. This way it will get cooked easily.
2. U can use store bought chana masala powder & skip the roasting/grinding process mentioned above. I feel homemade is the best.
3. Instead of chana masala powder u can use a combination of chilli powder, corainder powder, jeera powder & garam masala too.
4. Adding tea bag gives a nice color as well as a good flavour. U can skip this if u want.
5. Add salt carefully as we are adding it in 2 stages – one while cooking the chickpeas & two in the onion tomato gravy.

– By Sundari Nathan