Weeknight · Instant Pot · About 35 minutes

Chana Masala

Name: Chana Masala
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3 tbsp dried chopped onion; 3 tbsp water; 3 tbsp refined coconut oil; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 4.5 g Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 1 tsp granulated garlic; 1 tbsp ground ginger; 1 ½ tsp green serrano chili powder; 1 tbsp ground coriander; 1 tsp chili powder; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 can tomatoes; 2 cans chickpeas; 1 tsp garam masala; 2 tbsp coconut sugar; 1 lemon

A weeknight chana masala — chickpeas simmered in a bloomed-spice tomato sauce, finished with garam masala and lemon. Naturally vegan, protein-rich, and even better the next day.

~35 min total 10 min prep Instant Pot method

Spoon cost

Time ●○○○○ Anytime

Instant PotVeganGluten-Free

Servingsamounts scale to match

Units

Ingredients

Bloom the spices in the oil first. Frying the cumin, garlic, ginger, and chilies in hot oil for a minute before the tomatoes go in is what gives chana masala its deep, toasty flavor — skip it and it tastes flat. Finish with garam masala and lemon off the heat, so they stay bright.

Easier, if you like

Canned chickpeas and a can of puréed tomatoes are the whole base — no soaking.
Dried chopped onion (rehydrated in a little water) skips the chopping; ½ a fresh onion works too.

Method

Cook's notes

No Instant Pot? Deep skillet or pot: bloom the spices, add the sauce ingredients, and simmer uncovered, 15 minutes. Add the chickpeas and simmer 10 minutes more, smashing a few against the pan to thicken. Canned chickpeas mean there's nothing here that needs pressure.

Bloom the whole-ground spices in hot oil before the tomatoes — that toasty first minute is the flavor base.

Coconut sugar (or brown sugar) balances the tomatoes' acidity; start with 2 tbsp and adjust.

Garam masala and lemon go in at the end, off the heat, so they stay fragrant and bright.

No garam masala? Mix ¼ tsp cayenne, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp cardamom, ½ tsp cloves, and ¼ tsp nutmeg.

Already vegan and gluten-free — adjust the heat

Heat: the green serrano chili powder brings the kick — use a fresh serrano, or ½ tsp cayenne, if you can't find it.

Serving: rice keeps it gluten-free; naan is wheat.