Chana Masala

Chana masala (aka chole masala) translates to spiced chickpeas. In this dish, chickpeas are seasoned with garam masala and usually stewed in a fragrant tomato sauce. You can leave the chickpeas whole, give them a mash, or go somewhere in between.

bowl of chana masala over rice
Photo: Jason Donnelly
Start To Finish Time:
25 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
5 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 15 ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

  • 1 tablespoon ghee

  • 1 cup chopped onion

  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 tablespoon Masala

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

  • ½ cup water

  • 3 cup hot cooked basmati rice

  • Lime wedges

  • ¼ cup chopped green onions

Masala

  • 2 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cumin seeds

  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds

  • 2 teaspoon mustard seeds

  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • ¼ teaspoon cardamom seeds

  • 4 whole cloves

Directions

  1. In a small bowl mash half of the chickpeas with a fork until nearly smooth.

  2. In a 12-inch skillet heat ghee over medium. Add onion, ginger, and garlic; cook 5 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in Masala, salt, and turmeric. Stir in mashed and whole chickpeas, tomatoes, and the water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer 8 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally and adding additional water if needed to reach a stew-like consistency.

  3. Serve with rice and lime wedges. Top with green onions.

Masala

  1. Heat a 10-inch dry skillet over medium. Add spices. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant, shaking skillet occasionally. Cool slightly. Finely grind in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Store at room temperature up to 3 months. Makes about 6 Tbsp.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

394 Calories
7g Fat
71g Carbs
13g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 394
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 8mg 3%
Sodium 1170mg 51%
Total Carbohydrate 71g 26%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 17.9mg 90%
Calcium 130mg 10%
Iron 4.1mg 23%
Potassium 302mg 6%
Folate, total 130.1mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.3mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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