Indian
Punjabi-Style Chana Masala
Chickpeas simmer in a thick onion-tomato masala sharpened with green chile, amchur, ginger, cumin, coriander, and a restrained final bloom of garam masala.
6 servings · 20 minutes prep · 42 minutes cook
Ingredients
Masala Base
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger, for the masala base
- 1/2 tablespoon finely grated ginger, for finishing
- 1 fresh green chile, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 14 ounces ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
Chickpeas and Finish
- 17 1/2 ounces drained chickpeas (from two 15-ounce cans), drained weight; from two 15-ounce (425 g) cans
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons amchur
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Directions
Concentrate the Masala
- Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium. Add the cumin seeds; when they darken slightly, add the onion and cook 12 to 15 minutes until deep gold.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and green chile for 1 minute. Stir in the coriander, ground cumin, and turmeric for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes and cook 10 to 12 minutes, stirring and scraping, until thick and the oil begins to glisten at the edges.
Simmer the Chickpeas
- Add the chickpeas, water, and salt. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, crushing about 1/2 cup of chickpeas against the side of the pan.
- Stir in the amchur, garam masala, finishing ginger, and half the cilantro. Simmer 2 minutes, rest 10 minutes, and garnish with remaining cilantro.
