Chana Masala, Restaurant style

This chana masala is one of the best chana masalas I have made so far. The aromatic flavour, the soft & juicy texture of the chanas and the delicious taste pushed it up to the next level.

I have been making chana masala for so many years, but have not been actually satisfied with its taste, texture and flavour which kept me wondering why doesn’t it taste like it does at some of the restaurants in India? I tried different recipes even some using store bought chana masala powders but it didn’t help at all.

Finally after so many trials and some tips from Chef Ranveer Brar and my own cooking experience helped me get that taste, flavour and texture at last. Isn’t that true that trial always makes things perfect?

The sweet and sour banana chutney paired well with the chana masala and both together with the bhaturas made a tantalizing mouth watering meal! I could not wait to take pictures, it was so tempting that we had to sit down to eat it first. What you see in the pictures are the left overs.

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup white chick peas
1 black tea bag
1 medium size onion sliced
2 medium size ripe plum tomatoes chopped
2 green chillies slit and deseeded
1 inch ginger, 1 large garlic clove
1 big black cardamom
3-4 green cardamoms
3-4 cloves
1/2 inch cinnamon
2 small bay leaves
1/2 tsp mace
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbs mustard oil
1 tsp pomegranate molasses or dried pomegranate seeds finely ground.
fresh cilantro to garnish

For the bouquet garni:
1 bay leaf
1 black cardamom
1 dried red chilli
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2″ cinnamon stick

Onion Kachumbar salad
1 red onion finely chopped
1/2″ ginger finely chopped
2 tbs lemon juice or white vinegar
1 small green chilli chopped

Instructions:
1. Soak the chick peas overnight. Do not throw the water. Slice the onion, chop the tomatoes, crush the ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle.
2. Place the soaked chick peas with the soaked water and the “bouquet garni” in the Instant Pot and cook till soft but not mushy. You could slow cook the chick peas for up to 4 hours in the Instant pot or pressure cook in it for 15 – 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile add the whole garam masala spices (black cardamom, green cardamoms, cloves, mace, nutmeg, bay leaves and cumin seeds) to medium hot oil in a sauce pan. After 10 seconds remove them with the help of a tea strainer. Grind them in a mortar and pestle and set aside.
4. Now throw in the crushed ginger garlic and once it starts leaving an aroma toss in the sliced onion. Fry till translucent, then add the turmeric, red chilli, coriander powders and 3/4th of the ground garam masala. Retain the 1/4 part to flavour in the end. Turn over on medium heat till you get a toasty aroma of the spice blend. Immediately add the chopped tomatoes and cilantro.
5. Add the slit green chillies, cilantro leave on simmer till the tomatoes become soft and mushy. Add a little water if too thick.
6. Once the chick peas are done, do a NPR, open the lid and transfer the prepared masala to the Instant Pot with the cooked chick peas. Mix together and let it simmer till the water gets absorbed and the oil from the bottom rises on top.
7. As a finishing touch sprinkle the remaining fresh ground garam masala on top, drizzle 1 tbs mustard oil and lastly the pomegranate molasses. Taste and adjust the salt to bliss point. Serve hot garnished with chopped fresh cilantro with onion kachumbar, banana chutney and fried Bhaturas.
8. Finely chop the red onion, ginger and green chillies. Mix them together with salt and lemon juice. Serve a ladle of chana masala, top it with onion kachumbar and enjoy this delectable meal with deep fried bhaturas or oven baked kulchas.

Tips to remember when you make chana masala:

1. Soak the chick peas overnight. Do not throw away the soaked water.
2. Slow cook the chick peas with a tea bag for up to 4 hours or till they are just soft (neither too mushy that they are falling apart, nor so hard that you can’t press them without resistance.
3. Using crushed ginger and garlic instead of a paste enhances the flavours
4. Adding freshly ground garam masala as a finishing touch also adds more flavour.

Recipe

Perfect Chana Masala (Restaurant Style)

Author: Fouzia

This chana masala is one of the best chana masalas I have made so far. It's aromatic flavour, soft and juicy texture of the Chanas (chick peas) which were perfectly boiled but not mushy, and the delicious taste pushed it up to the next level.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish, Traditional, Vegetarian

Cuisine indian cuisine

Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Dutch oven
• Sauce pan

Ingredients

  

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup white chick peas
• 1 black tea bag
• 1 medium size onion sliced
• 2 medium size ripe plum tomatoes chopped
• 2 green chillies slit and deseeded
• 1 inch ginger 1 large garlic clove
• 3-4 cloves
• 3-4 green cardamoms
• 1/2 inch cinnamon
• 1 big black cardamom
• 2 small bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp mace
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tbs mustard oil
• 1 tsp pomegranate molasses or dried pomegranate seeds finely ground.
• fresh cilantro to garnish

For the bouquet garni:

• 1 bay leaf
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 dried red chilli
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 " cinnamon stick

Onion Kachumbar Salad

• 1 red onion finely chopped
• 1/2 " ginger finely chopped
• 2 tbs lemon juice or white vinegar
• 1 small green chilli chopped

Instructions

 

• Soak the chick peas overnight. Do not throw the water. Slice the onion, chop the tomatoes, crush the ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle.
• Place the soaked chick peas with the soaked water and the "bouquet garni" in the Instant Pot and cook till soft but not mushy. You could slow cook the chick peas for up to 4 hours in the Instant pot or pressure cook in it for 15 - 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile add the whole garam masala spices (black cardamom, green cardamoms, cloves, mace, nutmeg and cumin seeds) to medium hot oil in a sauce pan. After 10 seconds remove them with the help of a tea strainer. Grind them in a mortar and pestle and set aside.
• Now throw in the crushed ginger garlic and once it starts leaving an aroma toss in the sliced onion. Fry till translucent, then add the turmeric, red chilli, coriander powders and 3/4th of the ground garam masala. Retain the 1/4 part to flavour in the end. Turn over on medium heat till you get a toasty aroma of the spice blend. Immediately add the chopped tomatoes and cilantro.
• Add the slit green chillies, cilantro leave on simmer till the tomatoes become soft and mushy. Add a little water if too thick.
• Once the chick peas are done, do a NPR, open the lid and transfer the prepared masala to the Instant Pot with the cooked chick peas. Mix together and let it simmer till the water gets absorbed and the oil from the bottom rises on top.
• As a finishing touch sprinkle the remaining fresh ground garam masala on top, drizzle 1 tbs mustard oil and lastly the pomegranate molasses. Taste and adjust the salt to bliss point. Serve hot garnished with chopped fresh cilantro with onion kachumbar, banana chutney and fried Bhaturas.
• Finely chop the red onion, ginger and green chillies. Crush them together using your fingers with salt and lemon juice. Serve a ladle of chana masala, top it with the prepared onion kachumbar another spoonful of the banana chutney and enjoy this delectable meal with deep fried bhaturas or oven baked kulchas. This combination is sure to tantalize your taste buds and you cannot stop eating mouthful after mouthful and relishing its taste. So heavenly!

Notes

Tips to remember when you make chana masala:

1. Soak the chick peas overnight. Do not throw away the soaked water.
2. Slow cook the chick peas with a tea bag for up to 4 hours or till they are just soft (neither too mushy that they are falling apart, nor so hard that you can't press them without resistance.
3. Using crushed ginger and garlic instead of a paste enhances the flavours
4. Adding freshly ground garam masala as a finishing touch also adds more flavour.

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