Homestyle Kabuli Chana Curry - A simple, delicious and lightly spiced chole masala recipe. Wherein white chickpeas are cooked in an onion, ginger, garlic, and tomato-based gravy.

However, there are a lot of variations of this dish. As people use spices in a different ratio. Some leave the spices whole. Some even use sliced onion and diced tomato to make the sauce. Usually, a chana masala spice mix powder is made before preparing this curry. Some people even use the readymade chana masala spice mix in this. This is the easiest chana masala curry as there is no need to prepare any spice mix powder beforehand.
This homestyle Kabuli chana curry is an easy recipe starts with soaking the chana. Next comes pressure cooking until done and finally preparing the masala gravy and mixing everything together. Here for gravy, you need to make a masala paste and some grated tomatoes. Frying the masala is an important step. It has to be cooked really well until oil separates. It will take around 15-17 minutes over a lower medium flame. Hence patience is the key.
Serve this easy chole recipe with roti, paratha, poori, bhature, steaming hot rice or with any flavored rice. It just goes well as a side to any dish of your choice.
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Recipe
Homestyle Kabuli Chana Curry | Chana Masala Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried white chickpeas/kabuli chana/safed chole
For cooking the chickpeas
- 1 bayleaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 big cardamom
- 6-7 black peppercorns/gol marich
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- salt as required
- water as required
- a pinch of baking soda optional
For blending
- 1 roughly chopped onion, large size
- 6-7 roughly chopped garlic cloves
- 1 inch roughly chopped ginger
- 1 deseeded green chili
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 green cardamoms
- 2 inches cinnamon stick
- 1 mace petal
- a pinch of nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
For making the curry
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1 bayleaf
- 1 star anise
- 2 green cardamoms
- 2 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- a pinch of asafoetida or hing
- 3 grated tomatoes, medium size
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder, non spicy
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon amchoor powder/dry mango powder
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi
- salt to taste
For garnishing
- 3-4 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves
- few onion rings
Instructions
- Wash the channa well in running water. Then Soak them in sufficient water for 8-9 hours or overnight.
- Pressure cook the soaked chana by adding salt, turmeric powder, baking soda, bay leaf, big cardamom, cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, and water until 6 whistles over medium flame. Then turn off the flame and let it release the pressure on its own.
- Once done, transfer the boiled chana with water to a bowl and remove those whole spices.
- In the meantime grind all the blending ingredients together (written under for blending) into a smooth paste.
Making the homestyle kabuli chana curry
- Heat oil in a pan. Add the bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon, asafoetida/hing and saute for a few seconds.
- Add the blending paste and saute over medium flame until the oil separates or the masalas cooked well. It will take around 7-8 minutes.
- Once done, add the grated tomatoes. Followed by turmeric, kashmiri red chili powder, salt, kasuri methi, and amchoor powder.
- Then saute for a minute or two. Cover and cook for 10 minutes more in lower medium flame. Stir in between. It is important to make sure the masala does stick to the bottom.
- Add the boiled chana with water. Stir to mix. Cover and cook for 10 minutes more.
- Add chopped coriander leave. Stir to mix and turn off the flame. Cover and leave it for 5 minutes
- The chana masala is ready to serve. Serve hot by adding some chopped coriander leaves and sliced onion rings.
Notes
- If you do not have amchoor powder then you can add lime juice at the end.
- Addition of baking soda while cooking the chana really helps to make the chana very soft.
Kacie Morgan says
I recently bought some chana peas and roasted them with some mixed spices - they were delicious. I'll have to give your curry a go. They're such a cheap food, there really is nothing to lose!
Stine Mari says
This curry sounds so delicious and easy to make. I love all the spices you used in various steps of the recipe. Looks fantastic.
Danielle Wolter says
i love chana masala so much. it is one of my favorite dishes ever. i def will have to try this recipe - looks amazing!!
Lesli Schwartz says
Yum! Chickpeas are my fave and this chana masala looks so amazing! Definitely going to try this recipe!
Alexis says
My family loves curry, I'll have to give this recipe a try this week one night for dinner.
Jenni LeBaron says
There are so many spices in this that I bet the flavor packs a really big punch. This sounds really aromatic and delicious!
Jacqueline Debono says
I so love chickpeas! They are not only healthy but delicious too! This chana looks wonderful. Can't wait to make it!
Amanda says
You can never have enough curry recipes, and this one is fantastic! The spice mixture is super flavorful and so delicious. Thanks for sharing!
amrita roy says
love this home style chana curry.. I would pair with my parathas..
I am hosting this mong My Legume Love Affair event... I would request you to add this recipe in this event..
Kelly Anthony says
I've never had chana masala but I'm looking forward to cooking and trying something new. Thanks for sharing!
Sophia says
I adore chana masala! It's one of my favorite dishes when I go out for Indian food, but i've never tried to make it at home! Thank you for this recipe!!
Kari Heron says
Never heard of chana masala. This looks like a great condiment for a goat curry as well. Thanks for sharing
April says
I've tried all kinds of masala recipes but I think the ones that are lightly spiced are my favorite. Definitely need to give this Homestyle Kabuli Chana Curry recipe a try!
Mimi says
I was thinking of trying a homemade masala recently so this recipe had some amazing timing 🙂 Can't wait to make it this weekend!
Maman de sara says
My goodness, this looks delicious and flavorful!
Lathiya says
Channa curry is one my go to curry for roti or dosa. Your version of channa curry looks so yum. With all the spices going in, this is one flavorful curry
sasmita says
ahaaaa... puri and this is a super breakfast option . I dont mind to put calorie by this ;P
Awesome color of the curry here too
Chiraag says
Great recipe! Tried it out and it was yum. The color was great and spices tasted pretty even. Thanks!