Chana masala is an Indian-style chickpea curry. There are many variations of this dish, and I personally have developed my own version based on my spice preferences. It’s a fun and fairly simple recipe to make, and is an awesome addition to other Indian dishes I plan on posting about soon.

The chickpeas in this recipe have to be pre-cooked. I usually use dry chickpeas, pre-soak, and then cook them before adding to the dish. You could also use canned chickpeas if you prefer, but make sure to rinse them before use.

Like many other Indian dishes, this one starts off with a masala. Masala is the base of a lot of curries because it’s super flavourful. It is basically a mixture of cooked onion, garlic, ginger and various spices. Once you master making masala, you could make many different dishes by altering some of the spices or the mix-ins, for example, by adding chicken or paneer rather than chickpeas.

There is a combination of many different spices in chana masala. Personally, I really like using two different spice blends: garam masala and a special chana masala spice blend. However, if you don’t feel like going out and buying spice blends specifically for one dish, it’s easy enough to make your own:

Garam masala spice blend

• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriandre
• 1/2 tsp cardamon
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp clove
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Chana masala spice blend

• 1 tsp coriandre
• 1/2 tsp amchur powder (dried unripe mango)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp spicy red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp dried ginger
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek leaves
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cardamon
• 1/4 tsp cloves

These lists may seem daunting, but you could make a large batch for multiple uses, or simply buy a pre-made mix. I’ve also found that it’s ok to skip one or two of these spices if you don’t have them at home.

This dish is high in protein, fibre and iron, and can be a source of complete protein if eaten with bread or rice. It’s incredibly flavourful, which means that if you’re trying to cut back on salt, you can halve the amount of salt in this recipe and still come out with a great-tasting dish!

Yield: 4 servings | Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup dry chickpeas, pre-soaked and cooked OR 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 large onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp canola oil
• 1 tsp chana masala spice blend
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• Optional: 2 tbsp heavy cream or coconut milk

Instructions

1. Combine the onion, garlic and ginger in a food processor and blend until fairly smooth. If you do not own a food processor, you could finely chop all ingredients instead.
2. Heat the canola in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and ginger mixture and cook 4-5 minutes until the raw smell is gone.
3. Add the spices and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add the tomato and cook until it starts breaking apart, about 10 minutes, stirring often.
5. Add tomato paste and stir to combine, then add water, salt, sugar, and chickpeas. Stir and and cover. Let the mixture cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning.
6. Take off the heat. Optionally, add heavy cream or coconut milk and stir to combine. Serve hot with rice or naan.

Nutritional information