Chana Masala
A fragrant, spiced chickpea curry that's quick to make and perfect with rice or flatbread.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 small onions quartered
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 inch ginger peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 stick cinnamon cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cardamom pods
- 2 whole cloves
- 14 ounces canned tomatoes diced
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 18 ounces canned chickpeas
- 1 3/4 cups water
Instructions
- Add the quartered onions, minced garlic, and minced ginger to a blender with 2 tablespoons of water and blend to a smooth paste.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cardamom pods, and whole cloves and cook until the oil is fragrant and sizzling, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the onion-ginger-garlic paste and sauté for about 5 minutes until it softens and begins to brown slightly.
- Add the diced canned tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Mix in the salt, turmeric, garam masala, chili powder, ground cumin, and ground coriander until well combined.
- Add the canned chickpeas and the water, stir, then cover and simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Uncover and cook a few minutes more if needed until the sauce thickens to your liking. Remove the whole spices (cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cloves) if desired, then serve with a squeeze of lemon and rice or bread.
Equipment
- Blender
- Large Pot
- Measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- Wooden Spoon
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days.
- Freeze portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
- Thaw frozen portions overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat in a pot on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if too thick.