This chana masala or chana kurma prepared with chickpeas is a flavorful gravy and perfect for any flatbreads, especially poori and roti/chapati. Learn how to make this delicious South Indian-style chana masala with detailed step-wise pictures.
Growing up, kurma (veg kurma, to be specific) and moong dal gravy (pasi Paruppu masiyal) were the common sides Amma used to prepare for chapati. Many times we enjoy chapati with thokku(pickles) and chutneys too. I have relished the North Indian curries and paneer dishes only in restaurants. :-)
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Kurma recipes
Now, returning to the kurma recipe, there are so many variations, and every household has its kurma recipe. The South Indian style kurma, especially those made in Tamil Nadu, gets its unique flavor from coconut. This chana kurma I am sharing today also uses coconut and other whole spices, making it delectable. Chana (also spelled as channa) refers to chickpeas or garbanzo beans. In Tamil, we call it vellai kondakadalai.
PS – I have several kurma recipes on my blog and have linked a few below. Check them out.
While I don’t try to recreate any restaurant recipes, more like copycat versions, I get inspired by them and love to mimic those flavor profiles. I love recreating Saravana Bhavan (vegetarian restaurant chain) ones. You can find recipes like cabbage kootu, khichdi, and executive lunch on my blog, inspired by Saravana Bhavan recipes. This chana kurma is one such attempt, but I am not claiming it to be the exact version.
In the attempt to try Saravana Bhavan style kurma, I tried different variations, and guess what? All variations were delicious, and nothing was a flop. I have shared them below in the variations section, and do check them out.
Let’s get straight into the ingredients and procedure, and variations.
Ingredients
Chickpeas – I have used dried chickpeas/garbanzo beans for this kurma. You can also use canned ones. If using canned ones, you need atleast two 15oz cans of chickpeas.
For the masala: We need onion, tomato, green chilies, and whole spices like cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and coconut. I also added some mint leaves for added flavor.
Spice powders and ginger garlic paste: I add some garam masala, red chili powder, and ginger garlic paste and grind it with the masala. Red chili powder is optional, and you either use green chilies or red chili powder. The color of the masala depends on what you use. I also add ¼ tsp of turmeric powder while pressure cooking the chickpeas.
To temper and saute: We need oil, fennel seeds, curry leaves, and chopped onion.
We also need salt, sugar, cilantro, and water besides these ingredients. Check the recipe card for the exact measurements.
Dietary specifications and serving suggestions
This chana masala is vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free, making it perfect for all.
While this kurma pairs well with chapati, roti, and bhatoora, you can also serve this with pulav and biryani, especially with thengai paal sadam/coconut milk rice. This kurma recipe is versatile, and you can even enjoy it with rice like pindi chole.
Variations
- Without Tomatoes: Initially, I tried this kurma without tomatoes or coconut but added poppy seeds. While it was delicious, I was missing coconut more than tomatoes. :-)
- With poppy seeds and kalpaasi: You can add some poppy seeds along with cashews or almonds for a creamy texture. Also, adding dagad phool/kalpaasi/black stone flower enhances the flavor.
- To make it a bit spicy, add coriander powder + chili powder along with green chilies. Adjust the measure of red chili and green chilies to taste.
How to make chana kurma/masala
Soak and pressure cook the chickpeas:
- Rinse the chickpeas and soak them in 3 to 4 cups of water for 6 to 8 hours.
- Discard the water and add 2.5 cups of fresh water and ¼ tsp of turmeric powder.
- Pressure cook the chickpeas for three whistles and let the pressure subside naturally. Do not discard the chickpeas water now.
Saute and prepare the masala:
- Heat a pan and add one tsp of oil. Add the onion (½ of the onion), cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom when the oil is hot. Saute for a few minutes; add the green chilies and saute until the onion turns soft.
- Then add the chopped tomatoes and mint leaves and saute for two minutes—no need to cook for a long time after adding tomatoes. Turn off the heat and add the coconut. Let this mixture cool
- Transfer the cooked onion-tomato-spice mix to a mixer jar. Add the ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, garam masala, and ¼ to ⅓ cup of cooked chickpeas.
- Grind this into a smooth paste by adding ¼ to ⅓ cup of the chickpeas brine and set it aside.
Prepare the chana masala:
- Heat the same pan at medium and add the remaining 2 tsps of oil. When the oil is hot, add the fennel seeds, curry leaves, and the remaining half of the onion and saute until the onion turns soft. (The pan slightly turned black as I used the same pan I used for sauteing the masala for the gravy without washing. I did not burn the gravy. )
- Add the ground masala, ½ cup of water (I rinsed the mixer jar with ½ cup of water and added the same), and salt. Mix well.
- Cook this masala for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Then add the chickpeas along with the water.
- Mix well, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the gravy for 10 minutes. The gravy will thicken as we have added ground chickpeas too.
- Finally, add the cilantro and mix well and turn off the heat. Chana masala is ready. Serve it with the flatbread of your choice.
Recipe Notes
- Adjust the water as per your consistency preference.
- I don’t discard the water that I used for cooking the chickpeas. I use the same for grinding the masala and for the gravy.
- Typically, we add nuts like cashews or roasted gram to thicken the kurma. But as we grind some cooked chickpeas, we don’t need to add additional nuts.
- Adjust the salt and spices to taste. You can use either green chilies or red chili powder for the spice.
- If using canned chickpeas, use two cans. You can use the brine or discard it. If discarding the brine, use regular water. You need 2 cups of water. Also, if using canned chickpeas, add the turmeric powder while preparing the masala.
- Also, with other whole spices, you can add ¼ tsp black stone flower powder or a small piece of black stone flower.
More kurma recipes
PS: If you try this chana kurma, please remember to comment and rate this recipe. Please comment if you have any questions, and I will get to it ASAP. Follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas! Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more recipe updates! You can also sign-up for my newsletter for weekly updates.
📖 Recipe
South Indian Style Chana Masala | Chana Kurma
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
Measurement Details: 1 cup = 240ml; 1 tbsp = 15ml; 1 tsp = 5ml;
- 1 cup chickpeas dried
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 2.5 cups water plus 4 cups of water to soak the beans
- 3 tsp oil divided
- 1 onion approx 128 grams chopped, divided
- 1 tomato approx 75 grams chopped
- 3 cardamom
- 3 cloves
- 2 green chilies
- 2- inch cinnamon piece
- 6 mint leaves optional
- ¼ cup coconut
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- ½ red chili powder
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 5 curry leaves
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
Instructions
Soak and pressure cook the chickpeas:
- Rinse the chickpeas and soak them in 3 to 4 cups of water for 6 to 8 hours.
- Discard the water and add 2.5 cups of fresh water and ¼ tsp of turmeric powder.
- Pressure cook the chickpeas for three whistles and let the pressure subside naturally. Do not discard the chickpeas water now.
Saute and prepare the masala:
- Heat a pan and add one tsp of oil. Add the onion (½ of the onion), cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom when the oil is hot. Saute for a few minutes; add the green chilies and saute until the onion turns soft.
- Then add the chopped tomatoes and mint leaves and saute for two minutes—no need to cook for a long time after adding tomatoes. Turn off the heat and add the coconut. Let this mixture cool.
- Transfer the cooked onion-tomato-spice mix to a mixer jar. Add the ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, garam masala, and ¼ to ⅓ cup of cooked chickpeas.
- Grind this into a smooth paste by adding ¼ to ⅓ cup of the chickpeas brine and set it aside.
Prepare the chana masala:
- Heat the same pan at medium and add the remaining 2 tsps of oil. When the oil is hot, add the fennel seeds, curry leaves, and the remaining half of the onion and saute until the onion turns soft. (The pan slightly turned black as I used the same pan I used for sauteing the masala for the gravy without washing. I did not burn the gravy. )
- Add the ground masala, ½ cup of water (I rinsed the mixer jar with ½ cup of water and added the same), and salt. Mix well.
- Cook this masala for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Then add the chickpeas along with the water.
- Mix well, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the gravy for 10 minutes. The gravy will thicken as we have added ground chickpeas too.
- Finally, add the cilantro and mix well and turn off the heat. Chana masala is ready. Serve it with the flatbread of your choice.
Notes
- Adjust the water as per your consistency preference.
- I don’t discard the water that I used for cooking the chickpeas. I use the same for grinding the masala and for the gravy.
- Typically, we add nuts like cashews or roasted gram to thicken the kurma. But as we grind some cooked chickpeas, we don’t need to add additional nuts.
- Adjust the salt and spices to taste. You can use either green chilies or red chili powder for the spice.
- If using canned chickpeas, use two cans. You can use the brine or discard it. If discarding the brine, use regular water. You need 2 cups of water. Also, if using canned chickpeas, add the turmeric powder while preparing the masala.
- Also, with other whole spices, you can add ¼ tsp black stone flower powder or a small piece of black stone flower.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
This turned out amazing! I will be making this over and over. My kids cannot eat at restaurants due to severe allergies, but now I can make this at home for them to enjoy and not feel bad about missing out at Saravanna Bhavan.
Happy to hear that. Thanks so much.
Why husband is a big fan Sarvana Bhavan thali and chana masala. Sometimes I make South Indian style chana masala at home this time I tried your version. It came out really good.
Thanks. Glad it came out well.
I love the Saravana bhavan Chana kurma as well. And I am a fan of kurma. I made this over the weekend and we enjoyed it thoroughly with poori!
Thanks Sandhya.