Chana masala (NO onion and no garlic)

Chana masala is a classic Indian dish which is very popular in north India. Its almost impossible to be in Delhi and not see people eating this humble dish with gorgeously inflated bhatura or yeasty and fragrant kulchas for breakfast. I love dunking bread into its curry which absorbs all the gorgeous flavours and I think it tastes even better with some rice and onion on the side. Yum!

Almost velvety texture of chickpeas after being cooked just melts in mouth. Chickpeas or kabuli chana or garbanzo beans are high in iron and low in calories. If you are trying to lose weight, then start eating chickpeas in the form of curries, hummus and salad. With the month of Shravan upon us and Paryushan approaching, I am sharing recipe of this delicious vegetarian curry sans onion and garlic which tastes equally delicious. I made this dish for some guests last week and they really loved it. Its quite popular among my friends too.

If flavours are incredible then boring everyday meals can also become exciting. Specialty of Indian food is such. And this dish is a perfect example of that. Its sour, spicy and slightly sweet to which spices like bay leaves, asaefotida, cloves are added to enhance the flavour. What really makes this dish special is addition of anar dana powder which lends sweet and flavour both at the same time. Chana masala goes well with rice, chapati, poori, kulcha and bathura.

Simple,humble and delicious chole masala- Vegetarian Indian chickpea curry.

Diet: Vegetarian
Type: Main course
Serving: 5-6

Ingredients

1 cup chickpeas + 2 glasses water for boiling

2-3 roughly chopped medium sized tomatoes

1 inch ginger

1 green chili

2 Tbsp oil

1 Tsp cumin seeds

3-4 cloves

3-4 bay leaves

pinch of asaefotida

1/2 Tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste

1/2 Tsp red chili powder

2 Tsp corriander powder

1/2 Tsp garam masala

1/2-1 Tsp powdered anar dana powder/amchor powder

Method

Soak chickpeas overnight or atleast for 6 hours.

Pressure cook by adding some salt and water. Once done, keep them aside

Make tomato purée by adding chopped tomatoes, green chilli and ginger in a blender. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan/wok/kadhai and add cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaves and asaefotida.

Once they sputter, slowly add tomato puree. Add turmeric and salt. Stir and and cover with a lid. Cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes.

Once tomatoes are cooked and leave oil, add chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and anar dana powder. Cook further for 5 more minutes.

Now add boiled chickpeas along with the water in which it was cooked. Add only enough water as required.

Stir everything together, bring to boil and let cook for atleast 10 minutes on medium heat.

Garnish with freshly chopped coriander. Serve with chapati, rice, poori or bhature.

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