Chana Masala Recipe / Chole Masala Recipe with step by step pics and a short Youtube video. If you like my video, please share it and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my channel. Though this chole gravy can be done in numerous ways, the method I have shared here is the quickest, a basic one that can be easily pulled over within 20 minutes. I just used the all-time available spice powders in our kitchen pantry and didn’t use or buy any store-bought Chole Masala Powder but then too the taste perfectly matched to the traditional chole gravy. I mostly don’t buy any readymade masala powders, the one truthful reason is it gets expired before I finished 1/2 of the box or the flavour or taste or somewhat will be missing one or neither, so I always grind some masala powders in my home in small batches. I have already shared the authentic Chole Bhature Recipe with video in my blog, please do check it. This gravy goes well with Jeera Rice, Chapati, Phulka and Matar Pulao too.
Check my other Gravy Recipes

Restaurant Style Chole Masala Recipe

Chana Masala Recipe | Chole Masala Recipe
Equipment
- Stovetop
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250 ML, 1 tsp = 5 ML
- 1 Cup Chana / Chole
- 2 Cups Water
To Saute & Grind
- 2 tsp Oil
- 1 Onion
- 2 Large Tomato
- 4 Flakes Garlic
- 1 Small Piece Ginger
- ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 tsp Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder Link for Homemade Garam masala powder
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- ½ tsp Amchur Powder
To Temper
- 2 tbsp Oil
- ½ tsp Jeera
- 1 Green Chilli
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 Piece Cinnamon
- 4 Cloves
- 4 Cardamom
Instructions
- Chop the onion, garlic, ginger and tomato roughly for grinding. Then, measure and keep all the spice powders ready. Also, rinse the chole well and soak it in water for 8 hours or overnight.
- The ingredients in the first pic are for 'To Temper'. In a pan, pour 2 tsp of oil, then add the roughly chopped onion and saute till translucent.
- Now add the ginger, garlic flakes and saute again. Then add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and amchur powder.
- Add the garam masala powder, tomatoes and saute till mushy. Let it cool down. Transfer the sauteed items to a mixer and grind it to a smooth paste, by pouring 1 cup of water.
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pressure pan/cooker and then add the ingredients listed in the table 'To Temper'. Once nice smell wafts, pour the onion - tomato paste.
- Add the soaked chole and mix everything well. I didn’t drain the water in the chole, if you want the gravy to be thick, drain the water and go ahead. Then, add the required salt and pressure cook for 3 whistles in medium flame.
Video
Notes
Tips for Chana Masala Recipe
- Soaking the chole for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight is a must for easy cooking.
- If you have forgotten to soak the chole, then pour very hot water over it and set aside for 4 hours. Then other steps are the same.
- 1 pinch of cooking soda can be added to the chole while soaking, as it lends softness but the nutrients will be lost.
- For a quick version, canned chickpeas can be used. Drain the water in it and use, no pressure cooking is needed. But this Chole Masala Recipe tastes better with freshly cooked chickpeas.
- Furthermore, adjust chilli powder and green chilli as per spice level required.
- For more taste, ghee or butter can be used for tempering the spices, which gives a restaurant touch to the gravy.
- Mashing a little bit of chole at last, gives a nice taste, more volume and thickness to the gravy.
- Even few crushed Kasuri methi leaves can be added which lends a wonderful aroma to the gravy.
- This same gravy can be used as a base to prepare rajma curry, paneer butter masala or even kadai paneer.

Kabuli Chana Masala Recipe
Method for Chole Masala Recipe
1. Chop the onion, garlic, ginger and tomato roughly for grinding. Then, measure and keep all the spice powders ready. Also, rinse the chole well in 2 cups of water and soak it in water for 8 hours or overnight.
2. The ingredients in the first pic are of ‘To Temper’. In a pan, pour 2 tsp of oil, then add the roughly chopped onion and saute till translucent.
3. Now add the ginger, garlic flakes and saute again. Then add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and amchur powder.
4. Add the garam masala powder, tomatoes and saute till mushy. Let it cool down. Transfer the sauteed items to a mixer and grind it to a smooth paste, by pouring 1 cup of water.
5. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pressure pan/cooker and then add the ingredients listed in the table ‘To Temper‘. Once the nice smell wafts, pour the onion – tomato paste.
6. Add the soaked chole and mix everything well. I didn’t drain the water in the chole, if you want the gravy to be thick, drain the water and go ahead. Then, add the required salt and pressure cook for 3 whistles in medium flame.
7. Once the pressure subsides by itself, mash only a portion of chole (this method lends a nice taste and yields a thicker gravy).
Serve this Chole Masala Recipe with Roti.

Chole Masala Recipe
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