Being an Indian, I love this Channa Masala and this particular Channa Masala Recipe is my moms secret recipe. She makes it with poori and rice and I simply love it. Whenever there are guests at home, my mom always used to make poori and channa masala. This channa masala recipe is so nostalgic and it brings back my child hood memories whenever I make them for my family now.
I always use only dried chickpeas and never the canned ones as they don't give the same taste and flavour as the dried chickpeas. It is advisable to soak them overnight, if you are short on time, you can soak them in hot water for 2 hours.
My husband and kids like them with lot of gravy, if you don't wish to have more gravy, you can let it cook for more minutes and then allow it to become thick.
My mom's Channa Masala Recipe has a secret step 😋 so please don't miss that step.
Channa Masala Recipe - with a Secret Hack

INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 Tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (add more or less depending on how spicy you want your curry)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 15-ounce garbanzo beans/ dried chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon amchur powder (dried mango powder)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt.
DIRECTIONS:
- Cook the chickpeas and save the water used to cook the chickpeas. The chick peas can be cooked in instant pot or pressure cooker.
- Take a handful of the chickpeas and grind it into a fine paste with the water used to cook the chickpeas. (my mom's Secret hack to make thicker and flavourful channa masala)
- In a large skillet, heat the ghee or oil. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
- Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and fry them for a minute.
- Add the turmeric, cayenne, and coriander and fry for 1 minute.
- Cook till the tomatoes turn mushy.
- Add the cooked chickpeas and mix well.
- After a couple of minutes, add the ground chickpeas mixture and add water and allow to cook for a few minutes.
- Add amchur, garam masala, salt and allow it to cook.
- Cook, uncovered, until the sauce has thickened, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.
Serving suggestions for Channa Masala

This channa masala makes an wonderful combination for bread, rotis, chapatis and even rice.
After reading this blog, you'll know how to make the most delicious and tantalizing channa masala recipe with a secret hack that will leave your taste buds craving for more! Channa masala is a popular dish in India. By following the steps outlined in this blog, you'll be able to create a flavorful and hearty channa masala that will leave everyone craving for more! Do you have any questions about making this dish? Let us know in comments below!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is garbanzo beans the same as chickpeas?
Chickpeas and garbanzo beans , though the names seem unrelated, they are both the same 😅
How to cook chickpeas ?
Chickpeas can either be cooked with pressure cooker or instant pot. As directly cooking them in a pan will take a lot of time.
Can I use Canned Chickpeas to make this Channa Masala Recipe?
Yes you can use canned chickpeas to make this channa masala
How to soak chickpeas faster ?
If you don't have time to soak for a long time, then the best hack to soak chickpeas faster is to soak them in hot water in a thermos box for 1-2 hours.

Indian Vegetarian Channa Masala Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 Tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper add more or less depending on how spicy you want your curry
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 15- ounce garbanzo beans/ dried chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon amchur powder dried mango powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt.
Instructions
- Cook the chickpeas and save the water used to cook the chickpeas. The chick peas can be cooked in instant pot or pressure cooker.
- Take a handful of the chickpeas and grind it into a fine paste with the water used to cook the chickpeas. (my mom's Secret hack to make thicker and flavourful channa masala)
- In a large skillet, heat the ghee or oil. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
- Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and fry them for a minute.
- Add the turmeric, cayenne, and coriander and fry for 1 minute.
- Cook till the tomatoes turn mushy.
- Add the cooked chickpeas and mix well.
- After a couple of minutes, add the ground chickpeas mixture and add water and allow to cook for a few minutes.
- Add amchur, garam masala, salt and allow it to cook.
- Cook, uncovered, until the sauce has thickened, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.
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