No.61 The 100 Most Popular Recipes Ever · October 2026

Chana masala

Made famous by Dassana Amit

Photo: Billjones94, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

From Dassana's Veg Recipes (VegRecipesOfIndia.com). Dassana's Veg Recipes is No. 30 on the Hot 100.

North India's everyday chickpea curry, sold from street carts to fine restaurants, and one of the most cooked vegetarian dishes in the world.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (200 g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, or two 15-oz cans, drained and rinsed
• 3 tbsp neutral oil or ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 bay leaf and 1-inch piece cinnamon
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 to 2 green chiles, slit
• 3 medium tomatoes, puréed
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric, 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp Kashmiri chile powder
• 2 tsp chana masala powder (or garam masala)
• 1 tsp amchur (dry mango powder) or 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
• Thin ginger matchsticks, chopped cilantro and onion, to serve

Steps

1. If using dried chickpeas, pressure-cook with fresh water and 1/2 tsp salt 15 to 20 minutes (or simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours) until completely tender. Keep 1 cup of the cooking water.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the cumin, bay and cinnamon and let them sizzle 30 seconds.
3. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Add the ginger-garlic paste and chiles and cook 1 minute until the raw smell goes.
5. Add the tomato purée, turmeric, coriander and chile powder. Cook, stirring, until the masala thickens and the oil starts to leave the sides, 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Add the chickpeas, salt and about 1 cup of the cooking water (or plain water). Simmer 15 to 20 minutes, mashing a few chickpeas against the pan to thicken the gravy.
7. Stir in the chana masala powder and amchur and simmer 2 minutes. Taste for salt and tang.
8. Serve topped with ginger, cilantro and onion, with rice, roti or bhature.

Chef's tips

• A black tea bag simmered with the chickpeas gives the dark color of Punjabi pindi chole.
• Canned chickpeas are fine; simmer them a little longer in the masala.

← No. 60Chicken biryani→ No. 62Red lentil dal