Chana Masala

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Last updated Oct 12, 2026. We re-ranked the weekly top 100.

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Chana Masala #91 · dinner · indian Host: BBC Good Food · Chana masala → YouTube → web writeups Online recipe (as published / commonly shared) Serves 6 - 8 · Prep 15 min · Cook 35 min We wrote this recipe in the Joy of Cooking style. Every amount, time and step comes from the source's recipe card. An Indian chickpea curry with tomato, spices and lemon. Drain the chickpeas, add to a large pan with 400ml of water and season: 800g/1lb 12oz canned chickpeas or 720g jar giant chickpeas Bring to the boil. Then turn off the heat and set aside to allow the chickpea flavour to infuse the water. Blitz the onions with the garlic, ginger and green chillies: 3 onions quartered 3 garlic cloves 5cm piece of ginger 2-3 green chillies roughly chopped Melt in a large saucepan: 1½ tbsp ghee Then add the onion mix with a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 mins, until softened. Stir in the spices: ½ tsp ground coriander ½ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp chilli powder (Kashmiri if possible) 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp garam masala 1 ½ tsp amchoor powder (optional) Cook for 3 more mins, adding a splash of the chickpea water. That stops them sticking to the bottom. Add the tomatoes and another splash of water: 3 medium tomatoes (around 300g), roughly chopped, or 400g can chopped tomatoes Cook for 5 mins, squishing the tomatoes with a spoon as they soften. Tip in the chickpeas, along with their cooking water. Cook for 10 mins. Season well, and add the lemon juice: 1 lemon juiced For a looser curry, add a splash of water. Scatter with the coriander, to serve: ½ small pack coriander leaves, to serve Source: BBC Good Food · Chana masala tags: chickpea,tomato,spice,onion · popularity: evergreen · meat: no	Sour Chick Peas (Khatte Chhole) Book: Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey (1982) crumb: tangy spiced chickpeas Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking includes “Sour Chick Peas (Khatte Chhole)”. Madhur Jaffrey wrote it (1982). This book makes Indian home cooking easy in Western kitchens. It covers dals, spice mixes, curries, breads and regional flavors. Differences: Popular internet chana masala cooks chickpeas in a sauce (masala) of onion, ginger, garlic and tomato. It adds ground spices, amchoor (dried mango powder) and garam masala. The ancestor is Jaffrey's sour chickpeas. She makes them tangy with a souring ingredient and warm spices. Both are tangy spiced chickpeas. The online version uses more tomato and uses canned chickpeas.

ONLINE

ANCESTOR

Chana Masala
#91 · dinner · indian
Host: BBC Good Food · Chana masala → YouTube → web writeups

Online recipe (as published / commonly shared)

Serves 6 - 8 · Prep 15 min · Cook 35 min

We wrote this recipe in the Joy of Cooking style. Every amount, time and step comes from the source's recipe card.

An Indian chickpea curry with tomato, spices and lemon.

Drain the chickpeas, add to a large pan with 400ml of water and season:

800g/1lb 12oz canned chickpeas or 720g jar giant chickpeas

Bring to the boil. Then turn off the heat and set aside to allow the chickpea flavour to infuse the water.

Blitz the onions with the garlic, ginger and green chillies:

3 onions quartered

3 garlic cloves

5cm piece of ginger

2-3 green chillies roughly chopped

Melt in a large saucepan:

1½ tbsp ghee

Then add the onion mix with a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 mins, until softened.

Stir in the spices:

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp chilli powder (Kashmiri if possible)

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp garam masala

1 ½ tsp amchoor powder (optional)

Cook for 3 more mins, adding a splash of the chickpea water. That stops them sticking to the bottom. Add the tomatoes and another splash of water:

3 medium tomatoes (around 300g), roughly chopped, or 400g can chopped tomatoes

Cook for 5 mins, squishing the tomatoes with a spoon as they soften. Tip in the chickpeas, along with their cooking water. Cook for 10 mins. Season well, and add the lemon juice:

1 lemon juiced

For a looser curry, add a splash of water. Scatter with the coriander, to serve:

½ small pack coriander leaves, to serve

Source: BBC Good Food · Chana masala

tags: chickpea,tomato,spice,onion · popularity: evergreen · meat: no

Sour Chick Peas (Khatte Chhole)
Book: Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey (1982)

crumb: tangy spiced chickpeas

Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking includes “Sour Chick Peas (Khatte Chhole)”. Madhur Jaffrey wrote it (1982). This book makes Indian home cooking easy in Western kitchens. It covers dals, spice mixes, curries, breads and regional flavors.

Differences:

Popular internet chana masala cooks chickpeas in a sauce (masala) of onion, ginger, garlic and tomato. It adds ground spices, amchoor (dried mango powder) and garam masala. The ancestor is Jaffrey's sour chickpeas. She makes them tangy with a souring ingredient and warm spices. Both are tangy spiced chickpeas. The online version uses more tomato and uses canned chickpeas.

Match: Somewhat close

Online recipe

Chana Masala

Online recipe (as published / commonly shared)
Serves 6 - 8 · Prep 15 min · Cook 35 min

We wrote this recipe in the Joy of Cooking style. Every amount, time and step comes from the source's recipe card.

An Indian chickpea curry with tomato, spices and lemon.

Drain the chickpeas, add to a large pan with 400ml of water and season:
800g/1lb 12oz canned chickpeas or 720g jar giant chickpeas

Bring to the boil. Then turn off the heat and set aside to allow the chickpea flavour to infuse the water.

Blitz the onions with the garlic, ginger and green chillies:
3 onions quartered
3 garlic cloves
5cm piece of ginger
2-3 green chillies roughly chopped

Melt in a large saucepan:
1½ tbsp ghee

Then add the onion mix with a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 mins, until softened.

Stir in the spices:
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chilli powder (Kashmiri if possible)
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1 ½ tsp amchoor powder (optional)

Cook for 3 more mins, adding a splash of the chickpea water. That stops them sticking to the bottom. Add the tomatoes and another splash of water:
3 medium tomatoes (around 300g), roughly chopped, or 400g can chopped tomatoes

Cook for 5 mins, squishing the tomatoes with a spoon as they soften. Tip in the chickpeas, along with their cooking water. Cook for 10 mins. Season well, and add the lemon juice:
1 lemon juiced

For a looser curry, add a splash of water. Scatter with the coriander, to serve:
½ small pack coriander leaves, to serve

Citations
- BBC Good Food · Chana masala: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chana-masala
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Chana+Masala
- web writeups: https://www.google.com/search?q=Chana+Masala+recipe

Cookbook ancestor
- Affiliate: buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0764156497?tag=recipeancesto-20
- Reference: Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey (1982). Publisher: B E S Pub Co, 2003 edition, hardcover, ISBN 978-0764156496.

We put this together for personal use. See the citations.

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Dish: Chana Masala
Match: Somewhat close
Ancestor: Sour Chick Peas (Khatte Chhole)
Source: Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey (1982)
Differences: Popular internet chana masala cooks chickpeas in a sauce (masala) of onion, ginger, garlic and tomato. It adds ground spices, amchoor (dried mango powder) and garam masala. The ancestor is Jaffrey's sour chickpeas. She makes them tangy with a souring ingredient and warm spices. Both are tangy spiced chickpeas. The online version uses more tomato and uses canned chickpeas.
Book recipe: We do not offer this for print or share because it is not public domain. Buy or borrow the book.
Online sources: BBC Good Food · Chana masala (https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chana-masala)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Chana+Masala)
web writeups (https://www.google.com/search?q=Chana+Masala+recipe)
Date: Sep 2026

Source: what this book is
Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey (1982).
This book makes Indian home cooking easy in Western kitchens. It covers dals, spice mixes, curries, breads and regional flavors.

Affiliate: buy the book

Reference: Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey (1982). Publisher: B E S Pub Co, 2003 edition, hardcover, ISBN 978-0764156496.

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Chana Masala

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Related

Same meal (dinner)

Same cuisine (indian)

Same book (Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking)