Chana Masala - step by step | How to make channa masala | North Indian Side dish | Side dish for chappathi

Two years ago I was crazy on channa masala and I used to prepare it once a week at least. But suddenly I don't know why I stopped cooking it. Last week when we went for shopping, while having dinner in saravanabhavan hotel I ordered samosa channa and suddenly I started craving for channa masala. So again went to Mustafa and bought the channa and the very next day prepared the channa masala. 😊.  I already have posted channa masala with different version.

If you like, you could view some North Indian Side Dishes for Chappathi
Lima bean curry
Mushroom Masala
Babycorn Mushroom Masala
Soya Balls Gravy

How to make Channa Masala

Preparation time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min 
Total Time: 30 min | Serves: 4

Recipe Category: Side dish | Recipe Cuisine: North Indian

Ingredients

Soaked channa - 2 cups

Cloves - 5 to 6

Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cardamom - 2

Cinnamon stick - 3 (1 inch sized)

Bay leaves - 2

Black Pepper Corns - 1/5 tsp ( or  around 6 to 7 )

Oil  - 1 tbsp

Onion -1 small chopped finely 

Green chillies - 2 slit lengthwise 
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Channa masala - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/5 tsp

Water - as needed ( or around 1.5 cups )

Coriander leaves - few

Salt - as needed

To grind

Oil - 1 tsp

Onion - 1 cup (2 medium sized) chopped finely 

Tomato - 1 cup ( 2 tomatoes ) chopped finely 

Ginger paste - 1tsp

Garlic paste - 1 tsp

To Garnish

Onion - little 

Ginger - little 

Coriander leaves - few

Method

1. Soak channa overnight or 8 hrs at least. Pressure cook it with 2 cups water + 1/2 tsp salt. ( as my cooker is old it took 7 whistles but normally it will take 3 whistles ). 

2. In a pan or kadai, add oil and when it is hot add the ingredients under To Grind one by one. Sauté them well or till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes off. Cool it down. Transfer to food processor or mixer grinder and make a smooth paste. 

3. In the same kadai or pan, add the oil and when it is medium hot add the spices - cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, pepper, fennel seeds. Add the onions and the green chillies. 

4. Sauté them nicely till onions are soft. Add the tomato onion paste now and add the chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, cumin powder and chana masala powder. 

5. If the gravy is thick add the water now. Allow to boil. Add the cooked channa and let it cook for another 5 min. 

6. Add the coriander leaves, give a stir and switch off the flame.

7. Garnish with onion, ginger and coriander leaves and serve. 

Delicious channa masala is ready to be eaten with chappathi. 

Notes:

1. Instead of normal water which we add in the channa, you can use the water used for pressure cooking the channa. But keep in mind to reduce the salt, while adding as the water has salt already.
2. You can adjust the spiciness as per your taste.
3. If you do not have channa masala, you can go with normal garam masala also.

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