So I made this base onion masala and wanted to make some Chana Masala with it. As you see from the picture, home made chana doesn’t quite have the brown/red tinge that you get in restaurant cooking. I’m not sure what they use but I am very sure what I used so that makes it easier for me to eat my own cooking 🙂
Homestyle Chana Masala | Indian Chickpeas
This was very simple. I cooked chana separately in the Instant Pot, and then mixed it along with the Onion Masala and some ready-made Chana Masala as well as some lemon juice to add a little tartness at the end. It’s fast, its easy, and if you’re vegetarian, it’s a good source of protein. It is a little high in carbs, so I can’t eat too much of it. But a little bit in a bowl, along with a cold salad should work just fine.
I call them homestyle because…well, they ARE homestyle which means they’re not overly spiced, and they don’t have that deep red color that restaurant chana do. But these taste like what my mom used to make, and she was Punjabi, and a very good cook so that is good enough for me, by golly. I hope you enjoy them too.
Looking for more great chickpea recipes? Check out my Slow Cooker Chana Masala!
THIS RECIPE USES MY TASTY INDIAN ONION MASALA RECIPE! TRY IT OUT!
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Ingredients
Cooking the Chickpeas
- 1 cup dry chickpeas
- 2-3 Bay Leaves
- hot water to cover the chick peas while they soak
- 3 cups water to cook in Instant Pot
Finishing with Masala
- 1/3 cup onion masala
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 2 teaspoons chana masala (omit if you don’t have although it really does add an authentic taste to it)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoons Amchoor if you have it or one lemon squeezed for juice
Instructions
Quick Soak and Cook the Chana
- I find it easier to quick soak the chana in hot water for an hour but if you’re using a Instant Pot you can skip this step. In that case, you will need to add cooking time to compensate.
- Drain the water the chana are soaked in and put the chana in your Instant Pot along with 3 cups of water.
- Add the bay leaves and cook at high pressure for 15 minutes if you want it firm, or 20 minutes if you want a slightly creamy curry ( I went with 20 minutes).
- Allow it to release pressure naturally.
- Open it up and drain the water, but save it for now.
- Use a potato masher or something heavy and roughly mash about half the chana. You’re doing this to thicken the final sauce. Please do not add corn starch to thicken! Use the chana mash to thicken.
- Set this aside.
Finishing the Chana
- Heat your pot or skillet and when it’s hot, add the ghee and then add the Onion Masala you made earlier.
- Sauté until this is heated through, and then add 2 teaspoons of chana masala and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix well.
- Add in your semi-mashed chana and some of the cooking water and heat through.
- Add lemon juice and taste to see if you need any more, or any additional salt.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or Naan or Chapatis.
Jenny
I have your cookbook and love everything you make. I was wondering though if you had a masala sauce recipe. Any Indian place we’ve eaten at, I order my favorite dish, paneer masala. The sauce is always a shade of red, sometimes almost vibrant or even pinkish at one place. I know you have masala recipes, but that basic sauce is what I’m looking for. Let me know if I’ve somehow missed it. Thanks! And thanks for a great cookbook.
Andrew Bentley
I made this recipe, soaked the dried chickpeas for an hour under water I had boiled, but the chickpeas did not get cooked enough in the IP. I was a little uncertain that I had the correct cook setting, but I used the “Pressure Cook” button on “High pressure” using my Duo for 18 minutes, then let it naturally release for 15 minutes before continuing with the recipe. The flavors were terrific. Would just a couple of more cooking minutes have done the job?
Zonia K. Wynns
I did a hot soak for about 90min and then pressure cooked on high for 21 min, as 18 wasnt enough the first time I tried the recipe. They were still hard. I finally put the whole thing in a small crockpot on low for close to 10 hours and they are perfect. Next time I may soak overnight or maybe pressure cook for closer to 30min.
Kristen
Do you have the ingredient list for the 2 tsp Chana Masala? Is it possible to make up a personal batch? Given the amount of Indian cooking I do, I’m nearly certain I will have most of the spices already in my kitchen cabinet. Thanks!
URVASHI PITRE
I don’t, sadly. I haven’t made it at home in a long time.
Denise
Kirsten, I also wanted to make my own Chana masala. I found this recipe in Pinterest. Luckily, I had all of the spices and a spice grinder. Good luck!
http://www.indiankhana.net/2013/03/punjabi-chole-masala-powder-recipe.html?m=1
SB
Can I used canned beans? And if so how would the recipe need to be modified?
URVASHI PITRE
if you want to use canned beans look up the Onion Tomato Masala recipe, make that separately and then add the chana.
Igor
I came to this recipe after finding it in your Indian IP cookbook. In your book under prep time it says to allow Fort an hour of soaking, but then doesn’t mention it anywhere in the recipe. I guess I found the answers in the online version, but how much extra time should I allow for skipping the soak?
URVASHI PITRE
About 10-15 mins extra if you’re skipping the soak would be good
TL
Hi. If I’d like to double or triple the recipe, is that a simple matter of math for the ingredients? Is the cooking time the same, or add a few more minutes? (Was wondering in general for doubling bean/daal recipes). Thanks!
URVASHI PITRE
In general it’s simple math and same time under pressure yes. If you go to where it says serving sizes in the recipe card and adjust servings, the website will adjust all the ingredients for you as well 🙂
TL
Thanks – very helpful! One more question. If not quick soaking for one hour, how much extra time should I add to the cooking time in the instant pot? Appreciate your help and looking forward to making this tonight.
URVASHI PITRE
About 10-15 mins extra
TL
Really amazed at how responsive you’ve been, and in general at the wealth of knowledge on your website. I love Indian food but have never really found a way to make it that trumped getting take out from a time/cost-benefit perspective. Until now, that is. Thanks for helping me take full advantage of my InstantPot. For those of us who want more than a tool to make a pot roast, your work is fantastic.
URVASHI PITRE
Hearing that makes me very happy 🙂 I also have a very active Facebook group filled with very talented chefs who are super helpful if you’re interested in joining
Leah
This was so easy, and so delicious! I like meat so much, my husband calls me T-Rex; chana masala and rice with cilantro was a terrific dinner and I did not even notice there was no meat.
URVASHI PITRE
That’s great news!
Kimberly
Made this today! Tastes great, super easy and much faster than cooking on the stove! I used an immersion blender on the onion masala to make it smoother because I love using it every chance I get. The only thing I would change is using less salt next time. I don’t eat a lot of salt, and found it too salty on it’s own but fine with rice.
URVASHI PITRE
That’s perfect! Yup, the IP, immersion blender, and spice grinder are my most used Kitchen appliances. And the Masala dabba of course.
Jyoti
Hi Urvashi have soaked 4 cup dry chana overnight. How much water to add in Instant pot for medium thick gravy
Cooking for a gathering.
URVASHI PITRE
I would just follow the recipe as it is written
Ben
Do you recommend the amchoor or the lemon?
URVASHI PITRE
Amchoor is my first preference. Totally different taste to lemon and better suited to the dish
Leah
I used the amchoor; thank you for the recommendation. The dish tasted as good, or better than, any I have had in a restaurant.
URVASHI PITRE
Yes!! That’s fantastic 🙂