Homemade Channa Masala
Author and Photographer: Krishna Raghavan
Channa Masala – also referred to as Chole Masala, Channa, or Chole – is a chickpea curry originating in northern India. It is a staple of Indian cuisine, and is among the most common dishes cooked by Indian families today. Channa is flavorful, easy to prepare, and a great source of vegetarian protein. This dish was a frequent part of my childhood, since it was convenient for my parents to prepare.
In this article, I share with you my family’s take on the dish that my mother made sure I mastered before I started college. This version of Channa Masala is fairly standardized, with a similar version of the recipe even appearing on the back of Channa/Chhole Masala spice mix boxes you can find at any Indian grocery store (my favorite brand is Everest). That being said, what is most special to me about this dish – and the recipe my family uses – is its amenability to improvisation in the kitchen. While Channa Masala has its mainstays – chickpeas (of course), tomatoes, cumin, onions, garlic, cilantro, and chilies – the freedom that it imparts on the chef has led to regional variations across South Asia!
Ingredients
Serving Size: 3-4 people
2 15-oz canned chickpeas
2 medium yellow onions
4-5 medium-sized tomatoes
1-2 cups of water
½ green chili (also delicious with jalapeños)
¼ cup or less sunflower oil (or any oil of your choice)
¼ tsp ghee
½ tsp garlic powder (or garlic)
½ tsp cumin (seeds or powder)
1 pinch chili powder
½ tsp Garam Masala or Channa Masala spice mix
salt, to taste
cilantro, one bunch
1 lemon or lime
Instructions
Dice the onions and tomatoes. Heat the oil and ghee in a saucepan (with a lid, but leave it open for now). Begin to saute the onions in the pan at a medium heat.
Sautéed Onions
2. When the onions begin to brown, add in the garlic, cumin, chili powder, and masala.
3. Once the onions have sautéed to a light brown, add in the diced tomatoes. Allow the mixture to cook, and stir intermittently.
Cooked Veggies
4. When the mixture reaches a stew-like consistency, add in the chickpeas.
**Note: some prefer to use dry chickpeas instead of canned chickpeas. If this is the case, it is pretty common to soak the chickpeas overnight.
Garbanzo Beans
5. At this point, there is likely more chickpeas in the pot than the liquid portions from the previous steps can submerge. Add as much water as needed to match the level of the chickpeas, as seen in the photo below.
Stewed Chickpeas
6. Bring the mixture to a boil. At this point, I like to cover the pot and allow the curry to boil for 15-20 minutes. While it is boiling, chop the green chili and cilantro finely, and slice lemon in half to squeeze it.
7. After the time has concluded, the curry should appear more homogenous, as seen in the photo above. At this point, uncover the pot, lower the heat, and add the chopped cilantro and green chili.
Curry, Cilantro, and Green Chili
8. Squeeze the lemon and add salt into the curry (to taste). Allow the curry to come back to a boil and let it boil uncovered for 5-10 minutes until the water level falls to a curry consistency of your choosing. I typically like the curry to be thicker, but many prefer a more soupy curry.
9. You are done cooking! At this point, I like to turn off the heat and cover the curry, and just let it sit and cool for a while. Enjoy your Channa Masala!
Final Channa Masala