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.
Thank you so much for that instruction. One last question…
I assume that the lemon juice would be added at the end?
Or if I am using the mango powder instead, would that be used at the end with the garam masala? Or would it be added near the beginning along with the turmeric, coriander, etc?
Thanks so much.
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of either wold be about right. Add more only after tasting the dish to see if it needs it.
Use only lemon juice OR mango powder. Not both together in the same dish.
Thank you for this wonderful website. Quick question on this recipe…
At the end of the video it says that lemon juice and mango powder are optional. If I am going to use them, how much would be the proper amount?
Thank you.
Best wishes.
It’s not necessary.
Some Indian families eat onions and garlic and others don’t.
The hing (asafotida) gives a similar tone to the food as if using onioins and/or garlic.
Jaya
why dont you use onion or garlic?
thanks
hi
i tried this and it was the nicest curry i have made so far! my mum really liked it. i am just starting to cook as im a teenager and find ur vids v. helpful. i read why u use besan but why dont you use onions or garlic- is that y u use hing coz u dont use garlic?
thanks for such a wicked site
Generally speaking for vegetables and lentils you can increase the ingredient proportionally to the quantitiy you’re trying to make.
This increase doesn’t work for all indian dishes, but vegetables and lentils, it should work fine.
You’re getting into institutional or commercial size production, so some trial and error may be needed on your part.
Jaya
This recipe is absolutely delicious. Thanks to your video and recipe I can now make chana masala well!
I like to cook in large quantities. If you were cooking this six times the ingredients listed in this recipe (meaning 6 15 oz cans of chickpeas) what ingredients would you not simply increase by six times?
Hi,
Just made this–very very good. i have tried some other indian recipes off youtube that looked good while being made, but when i tried weren’t so good. this is the first i tried of yours and am really enjoying it (and it’s easy to make!)
thanks so much, i LOVE to find great recipes so i can enjoy tasty food at home. looking forward to trying your other recipes!
thanks again.
I am looking for a recipe for Red Onion Chutney. Have you anything like that?