Delicious and Easy Chana Masala Recipe

It's essential to eat legumes at least twice a week, and we like to try new, light dishes so we don't get bored. Legumes have a bad reputation, and we sometimes think they're high-calorie dishes, but that's not the case. What makes us fat are the ingredients we add. In the case of chana masala, only vegetables and spices are added. It's lighter, healthier, and also has tons of flavor.

Chana masala or chole masala is a typical dish from northern Indian cuisine, whose main ingredient is chickpeas or chana. The essential ingredients in this dish are onion, tomato, turmeric, coriander seeds, garlic, ginger, chilies, and the spice combination known as garam masala.

In Indian cuisine, it's very easy to find vegetarian or vegan dishes, as it's the country with the largest vegetarian population (40%). But you don't have to be one to enjoy wonderful dishes like this one. It's incredibly flavorful, easy to make, and much lighter than other legume dishes we usually eat, making it ideal for those on a diet or who prefer a lower-calorie option.

If you don't have any of the spices used in this recipe, you can substitute them. It won't be the same, but you're sure to end up with a delicious dish. We cooked the chickpeas, but you can use canned chickpeas if you find them more convenient and substitute the tomato paste with tomato sauce.

The amount of water can vary depending on how brothy you like your chickpeas; we prefer them dry, so you may want to add more water. As for the chili, if you don't like very spicy dishes, it's best not to add it because the rest of the ingredients will already make it slightly spicy.

Although we're fortunate to have a varied, healthy, and exquisite cuisine, we like to try dishes from other cultures from time to time. We discover many interesting new flavors and get away from our routine. This dish is a gem of Indian cuisine, so what are you waiting for? Try it!



Prep Time: 15 mins ♥ Cook Time: 50 mins ♥ Total Time: 1 hrs 05 mins ♥ Yield: 4 servings

Nutrition: 248 calories, 6 grams fat

Ingredients:

1 cup chickpeas
1 tsp ginger paste
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
2 onions
1 tsp garlic
2 green chilies
3 tomatoes
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 pinch asafoetida powder
2 tsp tamarind extract
1 tbsp coriander leaves
Salt to taste

Recipe Method

Soak chickpeas in water overnight.

Cook the chickpeas with salt and water in the cooker for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of water.

Heat oil and sauté onions till golden, add garlic, ginger paste and green chilies. Sauté for 2 minutes.

Add mustard seeds, tomatoes, coriander, cumin, turmeric, asafoetida and chili powder and sauté over low heat until the oil separates.

Add chickpeas, water, salt and half of the coriander leaves. Simmer, uncovered until the water has been absorbed. Add tamarind extract. Mix and cook till fairly dry. Keep aside.

Add the butter, cinnamon, clove, cilantro, onion rings, coriander leaves and shredded ginger.

Serve hot with naan or rotis.