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Indian
Chana Masala
30 min total10 prep20 cook4 servings300 cal
VeganVegetarianFlexitarianClassic
A hearty, tangy chickpea curry simmered with onion, tomato, and warm spices until thick and comforting. It's a pantry-friendly weeknight staple that tastes like it simmered all day, and it only gets better the next day.
Ingredients
pantry
- 800 gchickpeas
- 1 tspcumin
- 1 tspcoriander powder
- 1 tspgaram masala
- 0.5 tspchili powder
- 2 tbspoil
- 1 tspsalt
produce
- 1onion
- 2tomato
- 3 clovesgarlic
- 1 tbspginger
- 0.5lemon
Steps
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic and ginger, and chop the tomatoes.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the cumin, coriander powder, and chili powder, and cook for 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and salt, and cook for 5–6 minutes, mashing them lightly with the back of a spoon, until they break down into a thick sauce.
- Stir in the chickpeas along with 120ml of water. Bring to a simmer, cover partially, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pan to naturally thicken the sauce. Stir in the garam masala and simmer uncovered for 2 more minutes.
- Taste and adjust salt, then squeeze in the lemon juice just before serving.
- Serve hot with rice or warm flatbread.
Tips
- Mince the ginger and garlic finely so they melt into the sauce rather than leaving raw bites.
- Let the onions cook until truly golden before adding the tomatoes — this browning builds most of the dish's depth.
- Mashing a few chickpeas against the side of the pan thickens the sauce naturally without any extra ingredients.
- Finish with a squeeze of lemon just before serving; the acidity brightens all the warm spices.
