Delicious Chana Masala Food

CHANA MASALA (SAVORY INDIAN CHICK PEAS)

Steps:

• Grind onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and chile pepper together in a food processor into a paste.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry bay leaves in hot oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour the paste into the skillet and cook until the oil begins to separate from the mixture and is golden brown in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Season the mixture with chili powder, coriander, powder, gram masala, turmeric, and salt; cook and stir until very hot, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir enough water into the mixture to get a thick gravy; bring to a boil and stir chickpeas into the gravy. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the chickpeas are heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

CHANA MASALA RECIPE

Steps:

• Rinse dried chickpeas at least thrice. Soak them in 3 ½ to 4 cups of water overnight or for at least 8 hours.
• Drain the water and rinse them well. Pour 1 ½ cups water and pressure cook for 5 to 6 whistles on a stovetop cooker. You may also cook in an instant pot for 18 minutes on a high pressure. Let the pressure drop naturally.
• Make sure your chickpeas are soft and tender. Squeeze a chickpea to test, it should get mashed fully. If not cook them for a little longer.
• Heat a large pot and pour oil. When the oil turns slightly hot, add the whole spices - cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms and bay leaf.
• When they begin to sizzle add the onions and saute until they turn light golden.
• Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute without burning.
• Add tomatoes and salt. Let cook until mushy, pulpy and thick.
• Stir in red chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, coriander powder and cumin powder. Saute until the masala begins to smell good, for about 3 to 4 mins.
• Optional - If you want a smooth curry, cool this, discard the bay leaf and cinnamon. Blend in a blender to a smooth or coarse paste to suit your liking. I prefer to blend in 2 tbsps cooked chana along with the onion tomato masala. Add that puree back to the pan.
• Add the chana along with the chana stock (1¼ cups). Pour another ¾ to 1 cup water. If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them before adding with 1 ¾ cups water.
• Mix well. Taste test and add more salt. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• When the consistency is thick (check pics), add amchur powder (optional) and kasuri methi.
• Garnish Chana masala with coriander leaves. Sprinkle some lemon juice if required.
• To make the recipe in Instant pot, make the onion tomato masala on saute mode. Optionally If you want you may cool and blend this. Add the soaked chickpeas with 2 cups water. Deglaze and Pressure cook on high for 35 minutes. When the pressure drops, open the lid. Cook on a saute mode for a few minutes until thick. Add kasuri methi and amchur.

DELICIOUS CHANA MASALA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic, ginger, and green chile pepper in hot oil until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
• Season onion mixture with cumin, paprika, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and cayenne pepper; stir. Cook onion with spices until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, and tomato sauce; stir and simmer until the tomatoes soften, about 5 minutes.
• Stir yogurt into the mixture until the color of the mixture is even; simmer until again hot, about 5 minutes more. Remove pan from heat; stir lemon juice and salt into the mixture.

SHORTCUT CHANA MASALA

Steps:

• Combine the chickpeas with the bay leaves, black tea bag, black cardamom, if using, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 cups of water in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to low and simmer until the chickpeas are soft and infused with the spices and tea, about 10 minutes. Discard the tea bag, bay leaves and cardamom pod. Drain the chickpeas and put them back in the pot they were cooking in.
• Meanwhile, heat the ghee and/or oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring and scraping occasionally, until the onions are very soft and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Add the ginger, garlic and green chiles and cook until the raw smell goes away, about 3 minutes. Add the chana masala along with 2 tablespoons of water and sauté until the raw smell dissipates, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the chaat masala, if using, and cook until well cooked and pasty, about 8 minutes.
• Add the spice mixture to the chickpeas with 1 cup of water, mix well and bring to a simmer over medium heat; simmer until the curry thickens, coats and infuses with the chickpeas, about 5 minutes. Adjust the salt to taste. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

CHANA MASALA

Steps:

• 1. Heat the oil in a wide skillet. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.
• 2. Add the chickpeas, garam masala, turmeric, ginger, tomatoes, lemon juice, and about 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer, then cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. This should be moist and stewlike, but not soupy; add a little more water, if needed.
• 3. Stir in the cilantro and season with salt. Serve on its own in shallow bowls or over a hot cooked grain, if desired.