Chole Masala(Chickpeas Curry)

Chole Masala (Chickpea Curry)

Serves: 2 persons

Chole masala or chana masala is the most popular dish from India. Any Indian celebration or party is incomplete without Chana Masala. Chole or chana is chickpea and masala is gravy. Its a onion-tomato based gravy with Indian spices in it. It goes perfectly with plain rice,or paratha ,or biryani.

This curry has so many different versions. This is the recipe which my family like. I tried to simplyfy this recipe by adding minimum masalas. You can use canned chickpeas to save your time or dried chickpeas (available at any Indian store)

Do share your feedback if you try the recipe.

Indian Thali with Chole, Roti, Rasmalai

Ingredients:

To cook Chickpeas:

  • 2 cups soaked chickpeas ( see notes below)
  • 3 cups water
  • Pinch of ajwain (carom seeds)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon soaked chana dal(bengal gram lentils) (see notes below)

For the Gravy:

  • ½ cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 medium tomatoes chopped finely
  • 1 tablespoon ginger+garlic+green chilli paste
  • 1-2 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Spices and Seasoning:

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon ghee/butter
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon amchoor powder (dry mango powder)
  • 1 teaspoon dhane powder(corriander powder)
  • ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
  • Salt to taste

Ingredients

Ready to cook

Method:

  1. Add soaked chickpeas, chana dal, carom seeds, bay leaf, turmeric powder, salt and 3 cups water in a pressure cooker. Cook for about 4-5 whistles. (number of whistles depend on your pressure cooker)
  2. Heat oil and ghee/ butter in a pan and add cumin seeds. Add chopped onion. Saute for few seconds and add ginger+garlic+green chilli paste. Saute for a minute. Add chopped tomatoes. Cook on low-medium heat until tomatoes get mushy.
  3. Add red chilli powder, pinch of turmeric, garam masala, dhane powder,and salt to the cooked tomato mixture. Stir well.
  4. Check the pressure cooker. If the pressure is released fully, open the lid. Take out 4 tablespoon cooked chickpeas in a seperate bowl. Mash them with your fingers and keep it aside.
  5. Add rest of the chickpeas with water to the tomato-onion gravy. Put the heat on to medium-high. Add mashed chickpeas to the gravy and let the mixture boil. Add water if necessary.
  6. Add amchoor powder, and kasuri methi and mix well. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
  7. Turn off the heat. Add chopped cilantro on top. Serve hot with roti or naan or rice.

Notes:

  1. To soak chole:

  2. Get ½ cup chickpeas and soaked in 3-4 cups water for overnight. Next morning, drain the water and wash chickpeas completely. Add fresh water and then cook in a pressure cooker. If you are using canned chickpeas, then skip the soaking procedure. You can directly use them as they are already cooked.

  3. To soak chana dal (bengal gram lentils)

  4. Add 1 tablespoon lentil in a bowl. Add ½ cup water and soak for 30 minutes. Later, drain the water and add soaked lentils to the pressure cooker with chickpeas.

  5. You can use 1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves with 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro.