Chana masala | Chole masala

Vegetarian Curry
|August 5, 2023

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My previous cooking recipe post was of Batoora in which I said the best combination of Batoora is chole masala. So, today we will be making chana or chole masala. Chana masala can be prepared in different ways. Either you can prepare the curry completely in a pressure cooker or you can add the cooked chana to a kadai which contains masala. In this recipe, I am following the second method.

It is better to soak chana dal in water overnight since the cooking time of chana dal is more compared to other lentils. If the chana dal is not soaked, you have to cook more time by increasing the number of pressure cooker whistles. Before cooking, make sure to wash the chana dal using a colander.

This curry is not much spicy. The cooking time is approximately 50 minutes. This recipe can serve 6 people.

This recipe is so flavorful and what makes it work is the use of fresh ingredients. The adding of cornflour and grinded cashew makes a thick gravy for the curry. It will be better to go for home made ginger garlic paste rather than the store bought packet to maintain the actual aroma of the curry.

Ingredients

Chana dal (soaked overnight) – 2 cup
Onion finely chopped- 4
Tomatoes chopped – 2
Green chilli – 2
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Kashmiri chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder- 2 teaspoon
Garam masala – 1/2 teaspoon
Corn flour – 1 teaspoon
Cashew nuts – 10
Grated coconut – 2 tablespoon
Coriander leaves – to garnish
Salt – 1 teaspoon

Method of preparation

Pressure cook the Chana dal by adding 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder for 6 whistles in medium flame or till the chana dal is cooked
Heat oil in a kadai
Add chopped onions and saute till the onion becomes translucent
Then add ginger garlic paste, green chilli and tomatoes
Saute the mix well till it becomes soft
Further add kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala to it
Keep the flame low and stir the masala till the raw smell of the powders eliminates
Allow the masala to cool
Grind the prepared masala by adding sufficient hot water
After that, add the grinded mix back to kadai
Add the pressure cooked chana dal into kadai along with the water in which chana dal was cooked
Add cornflour to the prepared masala
Grind cashewnut and grated coconut along with some water to make a paste
Add the cashewnut mix to the kadai
Add hot water to kadai if you need more gravy and also check the salt
Garnish the curry with coriander leaves
Serve hot with batoora, puri, chappathi, rice etc.