Vegan and gluten-free, chana masala (चना मसाला), also known as chole masala, channay or chholay (plural), is a chickpea dish widespread throughout South Asia, particularly in India and Pakistan, and originated in the Punjab region on the border between the two countries.
What is chana masala?
Chana masala literally means “spicy chickpeas”. Chickpea is the main ingredient of this dish and contains a variety of chickpeas called chana (चना), kabuli chana or chole(काबुली चना), in Hindi and Urdu. These chickpeas have a stronger flavor and firmer texture even after being soaked and cooked.
Kabuli chana is one of the first varieties of chickpea to be cultivated. It is a chick pea with a diameter of just under ½ inch (1 centimeter) that looks like a withered hazelnut. It has a slight hazelnut taste and is quite creamy.
Kabuli chana is very commonly found in Afghanistan, Southern Europe, North Africa and Chile. It has been introduced and used throughout the Indian subcontinent since the 18th century.
In addition to chickpeas, the ingredients of chana masala are usually onion, chopped tomatoes, coriander seeds, fresh coriander, garlic, chili peppers, ginger, amchur (or amchoor) which is dried mango powder, dried pomegranate seeds and garam masala.
In India, chana masala is usually eaten with pathora or bhatura, a fried bread. The pairing of these two is called chole bhature and is sold everywhere in the street stalls of the country.
In Pakistan, on the other hand, the aloo chole variant consists of chickpeas and potatoes.
In Morocco and Algeria, there is a similar chickpea tajine, also hot and spicy, and in Morocco, squash, zucchini or eggplants are frequently added. This dish is usually served on hot steamed and flavored couscous.
Curry or masala?
Although it is consumed in the West and defined around the world as the typical Indian spice, curry has another definition in India: it is a vegetable, meat or fish stew.
It is believed that what is called curry is actually a version of masala (गरम मसाला), a mixture of spices, herbs and aromatics that can be made up of up to thirty different ingredients. Although it is prepared in different ways in each region, masala is an essential part of the identity of Indian cuisine.
The word masala comes from the Sanskrit word maṣmaṣā kṛ, meaning “to reduce to powder” or maṣmaṣākaroti meaning “it reduces to powder”.
Sanskrit is an ancient language of India commonly considered the ancestor of the Indo-European language family.
The word masala has been attested in the Atharva-Veda (Atharva-veda or Atharvaveda), a sacred text of Hinduism.
The word masala also comes from the word pāli masiṃ karoti, also meaning “to reduce to powder”. Pāli is an Indo-European language of the Indo-Aryan family once spoken in India.
Some examples of ingredients used for garam masala are anise, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, garlic and ginger.
There are several commercial, international, national, regional and even homemade family recipes of garam massala, some milder, some spicier, some described more for their color, some more for their aroma.
These products are usually distributed in powder form but it is much better to buy them whole and grind them right when you use them in the kitchen.
Pânch phoran, another mixture of mustard seeds, cumin, fenugreek, aniseed and black cumin, is sometimes added to masala.
Masala is therefore a generic term originally used in Indian cuisine to describe the mixture of several herbs, spices and special flavors added to dish preparations.
In many dishes, the mixture is often left for a few seconds in ghee to enhance all the aromas.
Other South Asian cuisines such as Bangladeshi, Nepalese, Pakistani and Sri Lankan, and Southeast Asian cuisine such as Burmese regularly use this blend of spices.
Chickpeas and Ayurvedic Medicine in India
Ayurveda is one of the oldest medical systems in the world. It is a mixture of science, art and philosophy. The word Ayurveda means “knowledge related to life”. Ayurveda is Indian medicine and a medical science that aims to maintain the human body in good health, reduce disease, and age well.
In Ayurveda, the reality of each individual is approached according to three principles inherent to nature: movement, transformation and preservation.
These principles are called “the three doshas” and understanding them is essential for development.
The doshas are a combination of several of the “five elements” (water, air, fire, earth, akasha or ether), with a dominance of two elements:
- Vāta : kinetic energy, composed by the elements air + ether (akasha)
- Pitta: the energy of the metabolism of transformation, composed by the elements fire + water.
- Kapha: the energy of cohesion, composed of the elements earth + water.
In Indian and South Asian cuisines, chickpeas are widely used in various types of dishes, even in confectionery and desserts and chutneys.
In India, when talking about this grain, known as chana, one must take into account its countless varieties such as brown chickpeas, green chickpeas, etc. And, in India, the most common types are desi and kabuli.
Desi type chickpeas are darker, smaller and slightly wrinkled in shape.
In Ayurveda, chickpeas are known to increase Vata dosha and pacify the Pitta and Kapha doshas.
CHANA MASALA
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas
- 1¾ cups water
For the sauce base
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 large onions , finely grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 2 tomatoes , peeled, seeded and mashed
- ½ tablespoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the sauce
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 small onion , finely grated
- 1 small bay leaf
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 3 green cardamoms
- 1 red hot pepper (or green hot pepper)
- 1½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- ½ teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur)
- ¼ teaspoon pomegranate seeds , dried and crushed
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
- Dutch oven
Instructions
Soaking and first cooking the chickpeas
- Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly and soak them for 8 hours in plenty of water.
- Drain the water and place them in a pressure cooker.
- Add the 1¾ cups (400 ml) of water. Cook the chickpeas under pressure for 15 minutes (after returning to the boil).
- When the pressure releases, open the pressure cooker and check doneness by squeezing a chickpea between the thumb and forefinger. It should be soft enough but firm and not pasty.
- If it is not soft enough, cook for a few more minutes.
- Drain the chickpeas and reserve the cooking water.
Sauce base
- In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Sauté the onions in the oil until golden brown.
- Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Then add the mashed tomatoes and sprinkle with salt.
- Sauté over medium to high heat, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes.
- Then add the chili powder and turmeric and mix well.
- Cook over low to medium heat and cover for 10 minutes.
- Let cool completely, add a tablespoon of cooked chickpeas and mix everything in a blender until obtaining a smooth mixture. Set aside.
Chana masala
- In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat and brown the cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf and cardamom for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Add the onions and sauté until they turn golden.
- Then add the reserved sauce base, the green chili, the garam masala, the dried pomegranate seeds, and the ground coriander.
- Brown, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
- Add the cooked chickpeas and their reserved cooking water.
- Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the water is reduced and the sauce is smooth. Taste and add more garam masala and salt if needed.
- Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the kasuri methi, amchur, chopped cilantro and mix well.
- Turn off the heat and cover immediately until ready to serve.
- Serve with rice and/or pathora, roti canai or naan.
Video
Vera is the “expert” of the 196 flavors’ duo. With over 30 years of experience in the kitchen, she is now sharing her skills as a private chef and cooking instructor.
Wyatt says
An interesting vegan and gluten-free made from chickpeas. I should try this one.
Meeta says
Please can you give onion and tomato in grams? Thank you
Hands Doing Things says
Hello Meeta. Here’s the corresponding proportions in grams: 250 g of tomatos and 500 g of onions. Enjoy!