Chola (Chana Masala)
January 28th, 2007 filed under Dal (Lentils), Vegan
Chole also known as Chana Masala is a chickpea dish cooked in a spicy tomato gravy.
Serves 2 to 4.
Ingredients:
- 1 15 oz can of chickpeas (kable chana, Garbanzo beans)
- 3 tablespoons oil
- Pinch of asafetida (Hing)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon gram flour (Besan)
- 1 large tomato
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon red chily powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro (Green coriander)
- Thinly sliced tomatoes for garnish
Method:
- Drain the water out of the can of chickpeas and wash the chickpeas well.
- Blend the tomatoes, green chilies and ginger to make a puree.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed crack right away oil is ready.
- Add the asafetida and cumin seeds.
- After the cumin seeds crack, add the gram flour and stir-fry for a minute.
- Add the tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric, red chily powder and cook for about 4 minutes on medium heat.
- The mixture will start leaving the oil and will reduce to about half in quantity.
- Add the chickpeas and a half cup of water and let it cook for 7 to 8 minutes on medium heat, covered.
- Press the chickpeas with a spatula so they soften. Note: add more water as needed to keep the gravy consistency to your liking, and let it cook for few more minutes on low heat.
- Add the garam masala and cilantro. Let it cook for another minute.
- Garnish with thin tomato slices.
Namaste Manjula,
Thank you for posting your receipes. I am enjoying them very much. I am so happy to be learning to cook Indian food. Thanks again!
Dear Manjula Aunty,
I have tried almost all your recipes and got lot of compliments from friends and family. I would like to request you for Healthy food recipes for cholesterol and diabetic people.
Please provide some easy recipes for salads and healthy drinks/juices.
Thanks,
Saritha
hi manjula aunty
mu pranams to u ,how r u hope fine,i have tried many of your recipes and all came very well i like the way u explain so its useful for the younger generation hearts of to you i am learning from the northindian method of cooking thank you
bye anu
Excellent! Bookmarked
Just found your site, and can’t wait to try more recipes. I used the dry chickpeas for this and let them soak overnight. Tastes fantastic.
Love your recipes! I have tinkered with making this dish for years, but when I follow your recipe to a “t”, it turns out better than the rest and the most authentic in my opinion. Enjoy your website very much and I’ve recommended it to many.
Hello Manjula Aunty..
I love your receipes and tried many of them they all came excellent and i got appreciation from my family and friends today I tried chana masala the same way you mentioned except for the ginger i added ginger garlic paste and instead of garam masala i added channa masala and amchur powderrest all the same however it was very kadwa then i had to add little sugar and salt and mirchi powder and it became ok can you plzz help me what went wrong here..thank you in advance..
I have a problem following the recipes on the dot, but after reading few recepies, I watched this video – and finally got the idea, how it’s done – so just went and made it, and it tastes nice! Since I’m not Indian it’s a big deal to understand the dish, you see. Thank You very much!
manjula – you are amazing! every recipe that I have tried is delicious. can’t wait to try this one.
BTW, I LOVE CILANTRO CHUTNEY! even my classmates (some who are indian, others not) love it.
joann
I live in California and I love Indian food. I have done a simple
Chana masala but this looks like the real thing. My problem is that I always mess with recipes I find. May I add sliced Chinese eggplant to this
dish and still call it Chana masala? What is asafatida? It is a spice that is virtually unknown here. Is there something I can use as a substitute?
Paul C.
it is called “Hing” and you get in either indian store or health food store
Hi Manjula,
I want to thank you for posting your great recipes online. I have been eating Chana Masala and Mattar Paneer from the grocery’s frozen food and have been dying to learn to make it myself. I am excited to try all your other recipes as well. I have added you to my FAVORITES!
Warm regards,
Elizabeth