Chana curry | Chole masala

Chole masala | Chana curry

Chole masala | Chana curry is a delicious curry made with boiled chickpeas / white chana, onions, tomatoes and spices. This is a quick lunchbox recipe made without coconut or coconut milk and can be paired with rotis, poori, ghee rice, jeera rice, pulao and even toasted bread. This quick version is adapted to toddlers’ taste buds and uses very few basic spices and masalas. For the spicier version of chana masala please refer to chickpea curry. 

How to cook chickpeas/white chana

Firstly wash and soak the dry chickpeas overnight or for a minimum of 4 to 6 hours.

Then take the soaked chana in a pressure cooker and add water till it covers the chickpeas. Add salt. Now close the pressure cooker and cook for 5 whistles on medium flame and simmer for 5 minutes. Now switch off the stove. Let the pressure release naturally. Now open the pressure cooker and take one piece of chana between your thumb and index finger. You should be able to mash it without any resistance. 

To cook on the stove top add water liberally to the soaked chickpeas along with salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, cover and simmer for around 40 minutes. Check and add water in between. Check for doneness. If it’s not cooked, cover and cook again for 10 minutes on medium flame. 

What to do if chana is not cooked?

Very old stock of chana or aged chickpeas get longer to cook. So always try to buy fresh ones. If chana is not cooked, cover and cook again for 4 to 5 whistles on medium flame. If it’s not cooked again add a pinch of baking soda and cook. Some people add a pinch of baking soda along with salt to cook the pulses like rajma, kidney beans, white chana and black chickpeas. 

Other chickpea recipes,

Kadala Curry | Black chana curry

Chickpea Curry

Kala Chana Masala Recipe | Black Chickpeas Curry

Chole masala | Chana curry

Chole masala | Chana curry is a delicious curry made with boiled chickpeas / white chana, onions, tomatoes and spices. This is a quick lunchbox recipe made without coconut or coconut milk and can be paired with rotis, poori, ghee rice, jeera rice, pulao and even toasted bread.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

soaking time 6 hours hrs

Course lunch, lunchbox recipes, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Servings 2

Calories 120 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Pressure Cooker
• 1 Kadai
• 1 Blender for tomato puree

Ingredients

  

• ½ cup chana / white chickpeas
• 1 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 onion chopped
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 big tomato pureed
• 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp butter
• Chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

 

Cooking the chickpeas

• Wash and soak dry chickpeas/white chana overnight.
• In a pressure cooker, add the soaked chana, salt and water.
• Pressure cook for 5 whistles on medium flame and simmer for 5 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Open and check for doneness.

Making chole masala / chana curry

• Heat oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot add cumin seeds.
• Next add chopped onions and saute for a few minutes.
• Add turmeric powder and curry leaves. Cook till onions turn translucent.
• Add ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes off.
• Now add pureed tomato and cook till oil separates.
• Add red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder.
• Mix everything together.
• Add the cooked chana along with the water.
• Bring it to a boil.
• Cover and cook for 10 minutes on low flame.
• Switch off the stove. Add a teaspoon of butter.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot.
• I packed in lunch box along with rotis, curd and a sweet.

Notes

• You can add regular red chilli powder along with kashmiri red chilli powder to increase the heat.
• You can add whole spices like tej patta, cinnamon piece and cloves in oil after adding cumin seeds. Since I was cooking for my kid, I skipped them.
• You can add a few drops of lemon juice at the end for an extra zing.

Keyword chana curry, chana masala, chickpea curry, chole masala

Cooking instructions

Cooking the chickpeas 

Wash and soak dry chickpeas/white chana overnight. 

In a pressure cooker, add the soaked chana, salt and water.

Pressure cook for 5 whistles on medium flame and simmer for 5 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Open and check for doneness.

Making chole masala / chana curry 

Heat oil in apan. Once the oil is hot add cumin seeds.

Next add chopped onions and saute for a few minutes.

Add turmeric powder and curry leaves. Cook till onions turn translucent.

Add ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes off.

Now add pureed tomato and cook till oil separates.

Add red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder.

Mix everything together.

Add the cooked chana along with the water.

Bring it to a boil.

Cover and cook for 10 minutes on low flame.

Switch off the stove. Add a teaspoon of butter.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot.

I packed in lunch box along with rotis, curd and a sweet. 

Recipe notes

• You can add regular red chilli powder along with kashmiri red chilli powder to increase the heat.
• You can add whole spices like tej patta, cinnamon piece and cloves in oil after adding cumin seeds. Since I was cooking for my kid, I skipped them.
• You can add a few drops of lemon juice at the end for an extra zing.

Other chickpea recipes,

Kadala Curry | Black chana curry

Chickpea Curry

Kala Chana Masala Recipe | Black Chickpeas Curry