Description
Chana masala is the North Indian chickpea stew that proves you do not need meat to build deeply satisfying flavor. Chickpeas simmered in a tangy, warmly spiced tomato sauce with enough complexity to keep you coming back for another bite. The secret is the amchur powder — dried mango powder — that gives it a sour brightness no amount of lemon juice can replicate.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon amchur powder (dried mango powder)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 8 minutes until deeply golden, stirring frequently. This step is not optional — the caramelized onion is the flavor backbone of the dish.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook 5 minutes until the tomatoes break down into a thick paste.
- Stir in the coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, and amchur powder. Cook 1 minute until the spices are fragrant and toasted.
- Add the chickpeas, salt, and water. Stir well, bring to a simmer, and cook 20 minutes until the sauce is thick and the chickpeas have absorbed the flavors.
- Use the back of a wooden spoon to mash about a quarter of the chickpeas against the side of the pot. This thickens the sauce and gives it body.
- Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt and heat.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or warm naan.
Notes
- Mashing some of the chickpeas directly in the pot is the trick to getting a thick, stew-like consistency without adding any thickener.
- If you cannot find amchur powder, substitute 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, but the flavor will be slightly different — less complex, more sharp.
- This is one of the best make-ahead dishes in Indian cooking. It tastes significantly better the next day after the spices have had time to meld.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 44
- Fiber: 10
- Protein: 12