Chana Masala
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 medium onions, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 fresh, hot green chili pepper, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
- 1 tablespoon amchoor powder (optional, see note)
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 cups tomatoes, chopped small or 1 15-ounce can of whole tomatoes with their juices, chopped small
- 2/3 cup water
- 4 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 lemon (juiced, see note; used a whole lemon to substitute for amchoor powder)
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Preparation
Step 1
Heat oil in a large skillet.
Step 2
Add onion, garlic, ginger, and pepper and sauté over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes.
Step 3
Turn heat down to medium-low and add the coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, cumin seeds, amchoor (if using), paprika, and garam masala.
Step 4
Cook onion mixture with spices for a minute or two.
Step 5
Add the tomatoes and any accumulated juices, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan.
Step 6
Add the water and chickpeas.
Step 7
Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir in salt and lemon juice.
Step 8
Eat up or put a lid on it and reheat it when needed. Curries such as this reheat very well, later or in the days that follow, should it last that long.
Step 9
Save recipe for the next time?
Chef's notes
If you’re anything like I was a few years ago, you love Indian food but are intimidated by the long list of spices in the recipes that you might not have and the expense of picking them up. Here’s my suggestion:
do it. Buy them. Invest. If you like this food, you will be thrilled that you can cook quality Indian food at home as it strikes your fancy, often from items in your own pantry. Although the spices are an initial investment, the price of the remaining ingredients in Indian recipes (and especially the ones on this site) to be among the most affordable, largely dried beans and lentils, onions, and rice — these recipes are a great way to stay on budget.
The recipe calls for a tablespoon of amchoor powder, which is dried unripe mango powder, adding a sour flavor. If unavailable, increase the lemon juice as I did. The dish had a nice sour snap at the end, so I will presume this is a good swap.
