Chana Masala
Tender chickpeas simmered in a bold, tangy tomato and spice gravy with dried mango powder and pomegranate for a characteristic sour brightness.
🛒 Ingredients
- 2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained
- 2 large onions, finely diced
- 400g tin crushed tomatoes
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp ghee
- juice of 1 lemon
- fresh cilantro to serve
👨🍳 Method
- 1
Heat ghee in a heavy pan. Fry onions until deeply golden, 15 minutes.
- 2
Add garlic and ginger; cook 3 minutes.
- 3
Add all dry spices except amchoor; stir 1 minute.
- 4
Add tomatoes; simmer 15 minutes until sauce is thick and oil surfaces.
- 5
Add chickpeas and 1/2 cup water. Simmer 10 minutes.
- 6
Mash a few chickpeas against the pan to thicken the sauce.
- 7
Add amchoor and lemon juice. Stir and taste for balance.
- 8
Garnish with fresh cilantro.
💡 Chef's Tips
- →The amchoor (dried mango) is the secret sour note that defines street-style chana masala.
- →Mashing a few chickpeas thickens the gravy naturally.
- →Serve with puri or bhatura for the full street-food experience.
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