Chana Masala (Spiced Chickpea Curry)

Name: Chana Masala (Spiced Chickpea Curry)
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 43 min
Total time: 1 h 1 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: North Indian
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (45 ml) neutral oil or ghee; 1 teaspoon (2 g) whole cumin seeds; 2 medium-large (about 1 lb) (450 g) large yellow onions, peeled and finely chopped (¼-inch / 6 mm pieces); 1½ tablespoons (10 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 4 large cloves (16 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced; 1 whole (10 g) green chili (serrano or Thai), slit lengthwise, seeds left in for more heat (optional); 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground coriander; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground turmeric; 1 teaspoon (2 g) Kashmiri chili powder; 1 can (14.5 oz) (411 g) canned crushed tomatoes; 2 cans (15 oz each) (500 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups / 500 g drained weight); 1¼ cups (300 ml) water; 1½ teaspoons (4 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste (use half as much if using Morton kosher salt); 1½ teaspoons (3 g) garam masala; 1 whole (45 ml) lemon, juiced (2–3 tablespoons; start with 2 and add to taste); ¼ cup (4 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A deeply savory North Indian chickpea curry built on slowly browned onions, fresh ginger and garlic, ripe tomatoes and toasted ground spices, finished with garam masala and lemon. Ready in about an hour from pantry staples.

Prep: 18 min
Cook: 43 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 6 min
Makes: About 5 cups (4 main-course servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

3 tablespoons (45 ml) neutral oil or ghee
1 teaspoon (2 g) whole cumin seeds
2 medium-large (about 1 lb) (450 g) large yellow onions, peeled and finely chopped (¼-inch / 6 mm pieces)
1½ tablespoons (10 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
4 large cloves (16 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
1 whole (10 g) green chili (serrano or Thai), slit lengthwise, seeds left in for more heat (optional)
2 teaspoons (4 g) ground coriander
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground turmeric
1 teaspoon (2 g) Kashmiri chili powder
1 can (14.5 oz) (411 g) canned crushed tomatoes
2 cans (15 oz each) (500 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups / 500 g drained weight)
1¼ cups (300 ml) water
1½ teaspoons (4 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste (use half as much if using Morton kosher salt)
1½ teaspoons (3 g) garam masala
1 whole (45 ml) lemon, juiced (2–3 tablespoons; start with 2 and add to taste)
¼ cup (4 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

Equipment (7)

12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or 4-quart (3.8 L) Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid
Wooden spoon
Chef's knife and cutting board
Microplane or box grater
Measuring spoons and cups
Colander
Small bowl for the spice mixture

Steps

Before you start

Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas well in a colander until the foam disappears.
Measure all the ground spices into one small bowl before you start, because they go into the pot together and can burn quickly.
This recipe uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you only have Morton kosher salt or fine table salt, use about half as much (¾ teaspoon total) and add more to taste at the end.
If you can't find Kashmiri chili powder, use the cayenne and paprika option listed in the substitutions.
Plan on about 1 hour 6 minutes from start to table: 18 minutes active prep and finishing, 43 minutes on the stove, and a 5-minute rest. Start the rice while the curry simmers.

1
Prep the aromatics
- Chop the onions into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces, grate the ginger and garlic, slit the green chili if using, and juice the lemon.
- Combine the coriander, ground cumin, turmeric and chili powder in a small bowl.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
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Ready when: Everything is measured and within arm's reach of the stove.
Tip: Chopping the onion small helps it melt into the sauce.
2
Toast cumin seeds
- Heat the oil in the skillet or pot over medium heat for 1 minute, until it shimmers.
- Add the cumin seeds and stir.
- Cook for 30–45 seconds.
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Ready when: Seeds sizzle steadily, darken slightly and smell nutty.
Tip: If they turn dark brown or smell acrid, they've burned; start over.
3
Brown the onions
- Add the chopped onions and ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or two, for 12 minutes.
- If they stick or scorch, add 1 tablespoon of water and scrape the bottom.
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Ready when: Onions are soft, shrunken and a deep golden-brown, with browned edges.
Tip: Patience here is the main flavor-builder; pale onions give a flat curry.
4
Add ginger and garlic
- Stir in the ginger, garlic and green chili.
- Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
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Ready when: The raw garlic smell mellows into a fragrant, savory aroma.
5
Bloom the spices
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Add the spice mixture and stir constantly for 30 seconds, coating the onions.
- Immediately add the crushed tomatoes to stop the spices from burning.
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Ready when: Spices smell toasty and the mixture looks like a thick, brick-red paste once the tomatoes go in.
Tip: Ground spices burn in seconds, so keep stirring and have the tomatoes open and ready.
6
Cook down the tomatoes
- Increase the heat to medium and cook the tomato mixture, stirring often, for 7 minutes.
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Ready when: The mixture is thick like jam and oil visibly separates and pools at the edges.
Tip: Don't skip this; undercooked tomato tastes sharp and raw.
7
Simmer the chickpeas
- Add the chickpeas, the water and 1 teaspoon of the salt (the remaining amount).
- Stir, scraping up any browned bits.
- Bring to a boil (about 2 minutes), then reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick but still saucy, like a loose stew, and clings to the chickpeas with a gentle bubble.
Tip: If the sauce gets too thick or starts to stick, add water 2 tablespoons at a time.
8
Mash a few chickpeas
- Press about ¼ cup of the chickpeas against the side of the pot with the back of the wooden spoon to crush them, then stir them in.
- Simmer uncovered for 3 minutes total.
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Ready when: Sauce is creamy and thick enough to leave a trail when you drag a spoon through it.
9
Finish and season
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the garam masala and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice.
- Taste and add more lemon juice and salt, a pinch at a time, until the flavors are bright.
- Fish out the green chili if you wish.
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Ready when: The curry tastes rounded, tangy and aromatic, not flat.
Tip: Adding garam masala off the heat preserves its aroma.
10
Garnish and serve
- Let the curry rest 5 minutes off the heat so the flavors meld.
- Top with chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice, naan or roti.
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Ready when: Curry is steaming hot and no longer bubbling.

Good to know

Tips

Brown the onions fully; they provide the sweetness and body that balance the tomatoes.
Mashing a few chickpeas thickens the sauce naturally without cream or flour.
Add lemon juice and garam masala at the end for bright, fresh flavor.
For a milder curry, omit the green chili and use ½ teaspoon chili powder.

Make ahead

Chana masala tastes even better the next day. Make it up to 3 days ahead, cool completely, and refrigerate; reheat and stir in a fresh squeeze of lemon juice and the cilantro just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months, cooled completely in a freezer-safe container. Reheat gently in a pot over medium-low heat with a splash of water, stirring until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C), or microwave covered in 1-minute bursts.

Substitutions

Kashmiri chili powder → ¼–½ teaspoon cayenne plus ½ teaspoon sweet paprika. Kashmiri chili gives color with mild heat; cayenne is much hotter, so start small.
canned crushed tomatoes → 1½ cups (about 3 medium) finely chopped fresh ripe tomatoes. Cook 3–4 minutes longer in the 'Cook down the tomatoes' step until jammy.
canned chickpeas → 3 cups (about 500 g) cooked dried chickpeas. Use ½ cup of the cooking liquid in place of some of the water for extra body.
neutral oil or ghee → vegetable oil for a vegan curry. Ghee gives richer flavor but is not vegan.