Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil and fry the cumin seeds and bay leaf until they sizzle.
- Add the onions and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until deep golden; this gives the dish its colour and depth.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and chilli and cook for 1 minute, then add the tomato puree.
- Add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander and cumin. Cook, stirring, until the oil separates from the masala, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas, salt and water. Mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken the sauce, then simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the chana masala and amchur, simmer 2 more minutes, and finish with coriander. Serve with bhature, puri, rice or roti.
A black tea bag simmered with dried chickpeas gives the classic dark Punjabi colour.
The spices that matter
The most common first spice in a tadka: crackle the seeds in hot oil or ghee before adding onions, dal or vegetables. Roasted and ground, it goes int…
No cumin? Caraway or shahi jeera are the closest whole-seed swaps. For ground cumin, use a little extra ground coriander with a pinch of chilli.
Ground coriander is the bulk of most curry bases, often used in larger quantities than any other spice. Whole seeds are roasted for sambar, rasam and…
No coriander seed? A mix of a little cumin and a pinch of fennel gives a similar warmth. Fresh coriander leaves are a different flavour and not a substitute.
A pinch goes into almost every dal, sabzi and curry, usually with the onions or straight into the dal as it boils. Fresh turmeric root is pickled in …
No turmeric? There is no real substitute for flavour. For colour only, a tiny pinch of saffron or Kashmiri chilli changes the shade, but not the taste.
Adds heat to curries, dals, marinades and snacks. Most kitchens keep a hot powder for heat and Kashmiri chilli for colour.
No red chilli powder? Cayenne pepper is the closest swap. Mix with Kashmiri chilli or paprika to get colour with less heat.
Adds sourness without liquid to chana masala, bhindi, samosa filling and chaat masala.
No dry mango powder? Lemon or lime juice, or a little tamarind.
Nice to have
The blend to use
Chole masala: A dark, tangy blend with anardana and amchur for Punjabi chole.
Salt, oil or ghee, onions, ginger, garlic and fresh herbs are assumed. See how to make a tadka for the order to add whole spices.
Dishes with similar spices
Frequently asked questions
How long does chana masala take to make?
About 15 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
What spices are in chana masala?
The essentials are cumin, coriander seed, turmeric, red chilli powder, dry mango powder. Nice to have: dried pomegranate seeds, black cardamom, indian bay leaf.
Tips from travellers
Use Chana masala differently at home? Share your tip. The first good one goes right here.