Want to make delicious Chana Masala? Guide Patrick shares his favorite recipe!

Chana Masala

If you ask guide Patrick about his favorite cuisine, he doesn’t have to think for long. Ever since he traveled around India, he can’t live without the scents, colors, flavors, and countless recipes from just as many different regions. Add to that the fact that many dishes are vegetarian or vegan by default, and your life as a vegan guide/amateur chef immediately becomes a lot easier. However, 100% plant-based Indian cookbooks aren’t exactly easy to find. Luckily, Patrick received the Spicebox cookbook for his birthday a few years ago. And a favorite recipe from it is cooked several times a month: chana masala!

Chana masala is a spicy and flavorful vegan dish from Indian cuisine, made from chickpeas (chana) in a rich, spicy tomato sauce (masala). It’s packed with spices like cumin, garam masala, cinnamon, and chili. You can eat it with rice, but guide Patrick often chooses to make delicious fresh naan (also from Spicebox). Chana masala is very tasty, easy to prepare, and typically one of those dishes that completely warms you up!

recipe for Chana Masala

from: SpiceBox – Grace Regan – You can find the cookbook here

Serves 3 to 4 people
Good to know: this is an indication. In Guide Patrick’s household, the recipe is always doubled, and then two adults and two children eat from it. Just make plenty on your first attempt; it keeps well in the fridge or can be frozen.

tip from Guide Patrick: measure generously

“This might be my most important tip. Not just for now, but for the rest of your life. When you’re going to cook Indian, don’t be stingy with spices. You can think big with this chana masala recipe too. Personally, I use a handy measuring spoon set, so you know roughly how much you need. I used to add level teaspoons, but nowadays I just go for nice, heaped spoons. We Dutch people are often a bit afraid of spices, so it’s better to measure generously. The only exceptions: salt and chili powder! It’s better to be a bit careful with salt and spicy additions and taste as you go. You can always add more.”

For the spiced chickpeas:
  • 2 cans (400g per can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt (Guide’s Tip: start with half a teaspoon, you can always add more to taste if you want to make the curry a bit saltier)
For the curry sauce:
  • 150 ml vegetable oil (guide Patrick usually uses half)
  • 1 large cinnamon stick
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • Small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped (including stems), plus extra leaves for garnish
  • 2 dried red chilies, torn into quarters
  • 2 medium red onions, sliced into half moons (reserve half for garnish)
  • 4 large cloves of garlic, grated or pressed
  • Piece of ginger the size of your thumb, grated (Guide’s Tip: “I have fairly small thumbs myself. If you’re known as someone with very large thumbs, adjust the portion of ginger a bit to the thumbs you see on people around you.”)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 400 g passata or diced tomatoes (guide Patrick always goes for diced tomatoes, for the bite)
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • Salt

How to prepare it!

  • Put the chickpeas in a large bowl with pepper, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well until all chickpeas are coated and set aside while you make the sauce.
  • Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick and cumin seeds and fry until everything becomes wonderfully fragrant. Carefully add the fresh coriander – watch out for oil splatters. Guide Patrick always makes sure he has a lid handy to protect himself from the splatters. Fry until the coriander turns a dark green color and starts to smell delicious.
  • Then add the dried chilies, red onions, and 1 tsp salt. Lower the heat to cook the onions slowly. As soon as the onions start to soften (after about 5 minutes), add garlic and ginger and continue frying until the onions are completely soft and caramelized (at least 15 minutes).

“I always thought this could be done a bit faster, but that’s not right. Longer is always better! It ensures the onion tastes much sweeter and loses its sharpness. That’s really essential for the success of the Chana Masala.”

  • Add the tomato paste and sugar, and fry for 2 minutes until the paste turns dark red.
  • Increase the heat, add the chickpeas, and fry briefly. Then add the passata (or diced tomatoes) and garam masala. Let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes until it has thickened slightly and the chickpeas are buttery soft.
  • Taste and season with extra salt if necessary. Serve with the reserved sliced red onion and fresh coriander leaves as a garnish.

Why does Guide Patrick get so happy about this?

“There are only benefits to this amazing dish. It’s easy, you only use real ingredients and spices, it’s nutritious and flavorful. Plus, it’s a kid-friendly dish, as chickpeas usually go down very well with the kids. This delicious chana masala recipe from Spicebox is also always eaten with gusto by the whole family. Additionally, you can easily keep it in the fridge for a few days. Leftovers can be combined with other Indian recipes or enjoyed as a tasty lunch. Use it to your advantage!”

More Spicebox?

The book Spicebox by Grace Regan is full of many more delicious dishes, cooking tips, traditional Indian drinks, and snacks. This is a must-have cookbook on your plant-based bookshelf. You can order Guide Patrick’s favorite cookbook here.

Kookboek Spicebox

If you ask guide Patrick about his favorite cuisine, he doesn’t have to think for long. Ever since he traveled around India, he can’t live without the scents, colors, flavors, and countless recipes from just as many different regions. Add to that the fact that many dishes are vegetarian or vegan by default, and your life as a vegan guide/amateur chef immediately becomes a lot easier. However, 100% plant-based Indian cookbooks aren’t exactly easy to find. Luckily, Patrick received the Spicebox cookbook for his birthday a few years ago. And a favorite recipe from it is cooked several times a month: chana masala!

Chana masala is a spicy and flavorful vegan dish from Indian cuisine, made from chickpeas (chana) in a rich, spicy tomato sauce (masala). It’s packed with spices like cumin, garam masala, cinnamon, and chili. You can eat it with rice, but guide Patrick often chooses to make delicious fresh naan (also from Spicebox). Chana masala is very tasty, easy to prepare, and typically one of those dishes that completely warms you up!

recipe for Chana Masala

from: SpiceBox – Grace Regan – You can find the cookbook here

Serves 3 to 4 people
Good to know: this is an indication. In Guide Patrick’s household, the recipe is always doubled, and then two adults and two children eat from it. Just make plenty on your first attempt; it keeps well in the fridge or can be frozen.

tip from Guide Patrick: measure generously

“This might be my most important tip. Not just for now, but for the rest of your life. When you’re going to cook Indian, don’t be stingy with spices. You can think big with this chana masala recipe too. Personally, I use a handy measuring spoon set, so you know roughly how much you need. I used to add level teaspoons, but nowadays I just go for nice, heaped spoons. We Dutch people are often a bit afraid of spices, so it’s better to measure generously. The only exceptions: salt and chili powder! It’s better to be a bit careful with salt and spicy additions and taste as you go. You can always add more.”

For the spiced chickpeas:
  • 2 cans (400g per can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt (Guide’s Tip: start with half a teaspoon, you can always add more to taste if you want to make the curry a bit saltier)
For the curry sauce:
  • 150 ml vegetable oil (guide Patrick usually uses half)
  • 1 large cinnamon stick
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • Small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped (including stems), plus extra leaves for garnish
  • 2 dried red chilies, torn into quarters
  • 2 medium red onions, sliced into half moons (reserve half for garnish)
  • 4 large cloves of garlic, grated or pressed
  • Piece of ginger the size of your thumb, grated (Guide’s Tip: “I have fairly small thumbs myself. If you’re known as someone with very large thumbs, adjust the portion of ginger a bit to the thumbs you see on people around you.”)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 400 g passata or diced tomatoes (guide Patrick always goes for diced tomatoes, for the bite)
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • Salt

How to prepare it!

  • Put the chickpeas in a large bowl with pepper, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well until all chickpeas are coated and set aside while you make the sauce.
  • Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick and cumin seeds and fry until everything becomes wonderfully fragrant. Carefully add the fresh coriander – watch out for oil splatters. Guide Patrick always makes sure he has a lid handy to protect himself from the splatters. Fry until the coriander turns a dark green color and starts to smell delicious.
  • Then add the dried chilies, red onions, and 1 tsp salt. Lower the heat to cook the onions slowly. As soon as the onions start to soften (after about 5 minutes), add garlic and ginger and continue frying until the onions are completely soft and caramelized (at least 15 minutes).

“I always thought this could be done a bit faster, but that’s not right. Longer is always better! It ensures the onion tastes much sweeter and loses its sharpness. That’s really essential for the success of the Chana Masala.”

  • Add the tomato paste and sugar, and fry for 2 minutes until the paste turns dark red.
  • Increase the heat, add the chickpeas, and fry briefly. Then add the passata (or diced tomatoes) and garam masala. Let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes until it has thickened slightly and the chickpeas are buttery soft.
  • Taste and season with extra salt if necessary. Serve with the reserved sliced red onion and fresh coriander leaves as a garnish.

Why does Guide Patrick get so happy about this?

“There are only benefits to this amazing dish. It’s easy, you only use real ingredients and spices, it’s nutritious and flavorful. Plus, it’s a kid-friendly dish, as chickpeas usually go down very well with the kids. This delicious chana masala recipe from Spicebox is also always eaten with gusto by the whole family. Additionally, you can easily keep it in the fridge for a few days. Leftovers can be combined with other Indian recipes or enjoyed as a tasty lunch. Use it to your advantage!”

More Spicebox?

The book Spicebox by Grace Regan is full of many more delicious dishes, cooking tips, traditional Indian drinks, and snacks. This is a must-have cookbook on your plant-based bookshelf. You can order Guide Patrick’s favorite cookbook here.

Kookboek Spicebox