White chickpea Masala – Chana Masala Recipe

This White Chickpea Masala | Chana Masala | Chickpea curry is a flavorful and aromatic dish made with tender chickpeas cooked in a rich and spicy masala gravy. This vegetarian delight is packed with protein and essential nutrients, making it not only delicious but also nutritious.

The recipe begins with soaking and boiling chickpeas until tender, then preparing a fragrant masala base with onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and a blend of aromatic spices. The cooked chickpeas are then combined with the masala, allowing the flavors to meld together beautifully.

Finished with a sprinkle of kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves) and fresh coriander leaves, this hearty curry is perfect to serve with rice, chapati, or naan for a satisfying meal that is sure to please everyone at the table.

Ingredients In White Chickpea Masala

• White Chickpea: Soak the chickpeas for 6 hours or more, if you don’t have that much time, add hot water and soak for 3 hours. Wash it thoroughly before adding it to a pressure cooker. Add turmeric, salt, and enough water to cover the chickpeas. Cook over high heat until the first whistle comes, then reduce to low heat and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and set it aside for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and take a piece of chickpea, if you press it between your finger it should be soft, and then it is cooked.
• Ginger and Garlic: Crush ginger and garlic. I often use a Mortar and Pestle Set to crush small amounts and this is the easiest and fastest way to crush spices.
• Coriander Powder: Try to use fresh coriander powder. You can buy whole coriander seeds and make powder. I’ve been using Vitamix for grinding spices for many years and it is one of the best in the market today. Saute the coriander well, otherwise, the curry will have a raw taste.
• Turmeric Powder: Saute the turmeric powder well until the raw smell goes away.
• Chili powder: You can either use regular chili powder or Kashmiri chili powder. We saute the chili powder last because it gets fried very fast. Make sure the heat is very low before adding the chili powder to the oil.
• Black pepper
• Tomatoes: Cook tomatoes till it is soft and mushy on low flame. Use tomato that is not too sweet.
• Garam Masala
• Kasoori Methi

White Chickpea Masala – Restaurent Style Chickpea curry

Chickpea Masala recipe so a flavourful and tasty recipe made with chickpea and aromatic spices. It is often served with rice, roti, paratha, poori, etc. There are many different ways that make this recipe based on the region.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Servings 12

Ingredients

  

• 500 gms Chickpea കടല, 2 1/2 cup
• 2 No Tomato തക്കാളി
• 2 Nos Onion സവോള – Chopped
• 3 Nos Green chilies – slice lengthwise. Adjust as needed.
• 1 inch Ginger – crushed
• 7 Cloves Garlic വെളുത്തുള്ളി – crushed
• 1 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder മഞ്ഞള്‍പൊടി – ¼ Teaspoon
• 2 1/2 Tablespoon Coriander Powder മല്ലിപ്പൊടി
• 2 Tablespoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder മുളകുപൊടി
• 2 Teaspoon Garam Masala ഗരം മസാല
• 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper powder
• 1/4 cup Coriander Leaves
• 1 Teaspoon kasoori Methi is Dry Fenugreek Leaves
• 1/4 cup Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Salt ഉപ്പ്
• 6 cups Water വെള്ളം

Instructions

 

Preparation

• Crush ginger and garlic using a mortar and pestle.
• Chop onions, tomatoes, and slit green chilies.

Boil Chickpeas

• Wash chickpeas thoroughly and soak them in water for at least 5 hours or overnight.
• Rinse soaked chickpeas and drain them into a pressure cooker.
• Add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and enough water to cover the chickpeas.
• Cook over medium-high heat until the first whistle, then reduce to medium-low and cook for another 10 minutes.
• Switch off the heat and wait for the pressure to release. Open the lid and set aside, reserving the cooking water.

  Note: Do not discard the water in which the chickpeas were cooked. We'll make use of it later.

Prepare Masala

• Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
• Add crushed ginger and garlic, sauté until the color starts to change.
• Add onions, green chilies, curry leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt. Sauté until onions are soft and light golden.
• Reduce heat to low, add turmeric powder, coriander powder, Kashmiri chili power, black pepper sauté for 1-2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
• Add tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt, cook until soft and mushy with the lid closed, stirring occasionally.
• Add cumin powder and garam masala, mix well, then turn off the heat and let it cool.

Ground Masala Mixture

• Transfer the spice mixture to a blender along with 1/4 cup of cooked chickpeas.
• Grind to a fine paste, using water from the boiled chickpeas as needed.

Make Chickpea Curry

• Wash the blender with water from the boiled chickpeas and add it to the pan.
• Add remaining boiled chickpeas to the ground masala, combine well, and adjust salt and spices.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 4-5 minutes until the gravy thickens, stirring occasionally.
• Add crushed Kasuri Methi and chopped coriander leaves, cook for another 2 minutes, then turn off the heat. Since the gravy is thick it may stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Serve with Rice, chapati, naan etc.

Notes

1. You can use either chili powder or Kashmiri chili powder. If you really like hot spicy then use 2 Tablespoons of chili powder. The other option is to take half chili powder and half Kashmiri chili powder. It is a personal preference.
2. In Kerala-style cooking we saute the ginger and garlic first because If you add onion first then ginger and garlic won’t fry well due to all the moisture in the onion.
3. Before adding chili powder make sure the heat is low otherwise it will have a burned taste. Adjust the chili powder to your spice level.

Keyword kadala curry, vella kadala masala, white chickpea curry

White Kadala Curry – South Indian Style – Varition#1

This recipe is for a flavorful and aromatic White Chickpea Curry, perfect for a hearty meal. Beginning with soaking the chickpeas overnight, they’re then pressure-cooked with turmeric and salt for tenderness. A fragrant paste is made by blending a portion of the cooked chickpeas.

In a pan, onions are caramelized with ginger, garlic, and spices before incorporating the chickpeas and paste. Finally, tomatoes are added for freshness, resulting in a deliciously balanced curry bursting with Indian spices and flavors.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried white chickpeas
• 3/4 tsp turmeric powder, divided
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tbsp crushed ginger-garlic
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp fennel seed powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 green chilies, sliced
• Curry leaves
• Chopped coriander leaves, for garnish
• 1 large tomato, chopped

Instructions:

1. Rinse the white chickpeas and soak them overnight.
2. In a pressure cooker, add the soaked chickpeas, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, and salt. Pressure cook for 4 whistles. Allow the pressure to release naturally, then let it cool for 15 minutes before opening.
3. Take 3 tbsp of the cooked chickpeas and blend them into a fine paste with water.
4. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add crushed ginger-garlic and sauté until the raw smell disappears. Then, add sliced green chilies and curry leaves, and sauté for 30 seconds.
5. Add sliced onion and continue to sauté until the onion turns light brown. Reduce heat and add the remaining turmeric powder, chili powder, and coriander powder. Sauté until the raw smell dissipates.
6. Stir in fennel seed powder and garam masala.
7. Add the cooked chickpeas along with the ground paste. Allow it to boil, then add chopped coriander leaves. Boil for an additional 2-3 minutes.
8. Finally, add chopped tomatoes, cover with a lid, and cook for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes are softened.
9. Garnish with more chopped coriander leaves if desired. Serve hot with rice or bread. Enjoy your flavorful chickpea curry!

White Chickpea Curry | Vella Kadala Kuruma – With ground Coconut – Variation#2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chickpeas, soaked for 3-4 hours or overnight
• 2 and 1/2 cups water
• Salt to taste
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 potato, diced
• 2 small tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

For the paste:

• 4 tablespoons grated coconut
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 small piece of ginger
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 green chili
• 8-10 cashew nuts
• 2 cloves
• A tiny piece of cinnamon
• 1 cardamom pod
• 1-2 sprigs of coriander leaves

Instructions:

1. Rinse the soaked chickpeas and set them aside.
2. In a pressure cooker, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté until the onion turns light brown.
3. Reduce the heat and add the Kashmiri chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala. Sauté for about a minute until the raw smell dissipates.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften.
5. Stir in the diced potato and soaked chickpeas. Mix well.
6. Pour in the water and pressure cook for about 3 whistles or until the chickpeas are tender.
7. Once the pressure releases naturally, open the cooker.
8. Meanwhile, prepare the paste by grinding all the ingredients listed under “For the paste” to a smooth consistency.
9. Add the ground paste to the cooked chickpeas along with the water used to rinse the blender. Mix thoroughly.
10. Adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding about 1/4 cup of hot water if needed.
11. Bring the curry to a boil and let it simmer for another 5 minutes on high flame.
12. Taste and adjust the seasoning as per your preference.
13. Finally, garnish with chopped coriander leaves before serving. Enjoy your flavorful chickpea curry!

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