DISH RESEARCH · Main dish
Chana Masala
Also known as: चना मसाला
A dark Punjabi chickpea curry with tea, pomegranate and warming spices, served with wholemeal puris.
About Chana Masala
Chana masala is a North Indian chickpea curry. Maunika Gowardhan’s mother’s Punjabi version has a dark, thick gravy and is served with wholemeal puris and sliced red onions.
Tea gives the chickpeas smoky depth, while pomegranate powder and lemon bring tang. Ginger, green chilli, Kashmiri chilli, coriander, cumin and garam masala give warmth and fragrance.
The chickpeas are tender, with some mashed into the sauce. Small, puffed puris provide a crisp fried contrast, and the meal is served warm.
Allergens in this recipe
Contains: Wheat (gluten).
Optional additions: Milk.
Other allergen details are unconfirmed.
Ingredients vary by restaurant. Confirm your allergens with staff before ordering.
Ingredients in Chana Masala
Maunika Gowardhan’s mother’s Punjabi chickpea curry with puris.
- Dried chickpeasBase
- PG Tips tea bagSeasoning
- OnionsAromatic
- GingerAromatic
- Green chilliesAromatic
- TomatoesBase
- Kashmiri chilli powderSeasoning
- Ground corianderSeasoning
- Cumin seedsSeasoning
- Pomegranate powderSeasoning
- Black saltSeasoning
- SaltSeasoning · Core and puris
- Garam masalaSeasoning
- Lemon juiceFinish
- Fresh corianderFinish
- WaterLiquid · Core and puris
- OilCooking medium · Core and puris
- Red onionsAccompaniment
- Wholemeal flourBase · Puris
- Vegetable oilCooking medium · Puris
- MilkLiquid · Puris · Optional
Ingredient details & uncertainties
Allergen information is incomplete. Unconfirmed details do not establish that an allergen is absent.
- Dried chickpeas: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Broader chickpea candidate; dried whole form retained.
- PG Tips tea bag: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Broader tea candidate; source-named branded tea bag is used in chickpea cooking and discarded. Exact product blend and bag formulation are unprovided; loose tea is an unselected alternative.
- Onions: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Curry onion variety is unspecified; explicitly red serving onions remain separately named.
- Ginger: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Green chillies: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Tomatoes: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Kashmiri chilli powder: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. First source option; mild paprika alternative is not combined.
- Ground coriander: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Cumin seeds: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Pomegranate powder: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. First source souring ingredient; pomegranate molasses and tamarind alternatives are not combined. Exact purchased powder formulation is unspecified.
- Black salt: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Salt: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Shared curry seasoning and own puri dough salt consolidated.
- Garam masala: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. The linked pantry describes variable household and regional blends, not a fixed recipe. Exact blend formula remains unspecified.
- Lemon juice: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Fresh coriander: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Water: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Shared overnight chickpea soaking, fresh cooking liquid, conditional gravy thinning and own puri dough water consolidated. Reserved chickpea broth is derived from these inputs.
- Oil: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Generic method-only curry oil and own puri rolling-contact/deep-frying oil consolidated; types unspecified. Explicit vegetable oil in puri dough is kept separately.
- Red onions: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Required sliced raw final accompaniment; curry onion variety is not specified as red.
- Wholemeal flour: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Wheat (gluten) source-confirmed. First wholemeal flour branch retained before sifted chapatti flour and plain-flour substitution. Ordinary wholemeal wheat flour supports Wheat.
- Vegetable oil: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Explicit oil in the puri dough; botanical oil or blend not specified.
- Milk (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Milk source-confirmed. Optional addition to the puri dough in the author introduction; ordinary dairy milk supports Milk.
Origins & food traditions
Punjabi household chickpea curries include tea-simmered versions with a dark gravy and a tangy finish. Maunika Gowardhan describes this preparation as her mother’s.
Cuisines & regions
- Punjabi
- Punjabi CuisineCatalogue link pending review
- Pakistani CuisineCatalogue link pending review
AI-generated illustration of one possible presentation. Recipes and ingredients vary; the image does not establish allergen content.