Chickpea Curry (Chana Masala, NO Coconut Milk)

Among the Indian saucy vegetable curry, chickpea curry, aka chana masala, has a really high exposure rate on our dining table. And I like to pair it with my favourite spicy slow-cooked spinach.

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Why I Love Chickpea Curry

1. Protein-rich. If I want to make only one plate of curry, then chickpea is the protein star, meaning I don’t have to make dal soup(lentil soup).
2. Always in cupboard. I always have dried chickpea in my cupboard. I can cook it anytime! Soak them as long as possible then pressure cook. All you need is a little planning ahead.
3. Budget-friendly. I use 200 g each time, so it costs me £0.60, for 4 servings! Plus other ingredients like tomato and spice, I think it costs me less than £0.25 per serving.
4. No need coconut milk. Differing from South India, tomato is often used in mid and north India. Tinned or fresh both work well. If you prefer one with coconut milk, a lazy version recipe is here.

When you cook, just so you know, Indian curry recipes are all different. The spices you use is really up to you, as well as the quantity.

Essential Spices

Speaking from experience, some spices better not to skip – they are:

Cloves, cardamom, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and garam masala.

If you are short of one or two, go ahead, you can still make a good pot of flavourful curry!

Notes Before You Cook

1. Whiz the onions in a blender. We use a lot of onions here. Be smart – use a blender to save some efforts and tears.
2. Be patient with onions. Onion plays a crucial part in Indian curry. Let them soften enough to add some lovely natural sweetness to your curry.
3. Tomatoes, also. If you rush it, there’ll be an unfavourable raw smell of tomato which you don’t want in your curry.
4. Tinned chickpeas is fine. Yes, you can use tinned, but I prefer dried one since it’s cheaper and I can enjoy the broth.

I looked out for several chickpea curry recipes and I find this one is easy to follow. I adapted from it and make as below.

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Chickpea Curry (Chana Masala) Recipe, Without Coconut Milk

Super budget-friendly, high in plant-based protein, truly flavoursome, and very easy to make! Cook more in one batch and enjoy it the next day, or freeze it for later use.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 200 g dried chickpeas
  • soaked overnight, pressure cooked with high pressure for 10 mins, release pressure naturally
• Whole spices
  • ½ tsp mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 small dried chilli
  • 3 cloves
  • 3 cardamom, lightly bruised
• 3 medium onions(approx. 350 g), chopped or roughly whizzed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 200 g (half can) diced tomato
• Ground spices & salt
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • ½ tsp cumin powder
  • ½ tsp cinnamon powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
• 2 ladle of chickpea broth
• lemon juice

How to Make

1. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a big pan/pot. Fry the whole spices until fragrant.
2. Add the onions and sauté over medium-low heat for about 12-15 minutes, stir occasionally, until they are slightly burnt. Then, also add the ginger and garlic, sauté 3-5 minutes further.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes, stir occasionally, until the water evaporates. Add all the ground spices and salt, stir well, it should be thickened like a paste.
4. Return the cooked chickpeas to the pot and pour over 2 ladles of broth. Follow by mashing some of the chickpeas to make the gravy thicker according to your preference. Add some more broth if needed.
5. Freshly squeeze in some lemon juice to balance the flavour. Served with basmati rice, chapati or other flatbread.