Chana Masala Recipe For Chapathi

Chana Masala Recipe for Chapathi with canned chickpeas is a snap to make in your electric pressure cooker. No need of soaking your beans anymore & no need to cook them prior to making the curry. Perfect soft chana in a slightly tangy tomato based curry sauce that's what you'll have & that too under 20 mins! Just get some hot rice, chapatis or tortillas on the side & you'll be all set for a scrumptious dinner.

Chana Masala Recipe For Chapathi

This Instant Pot Chana Masala Recipe for Chapathi made with canned chickpeas is the best example of curry in a hurry.

If you are just like me who frequently forgets to soak the beans but doesn't forget to incessantly crave for a hot bowl of Chana masala, than make this one, you'll love it.

This Chana Masala Recipe for Chapathi made in Instant Pot is just so apt for those extra busy days, the lazy days, the forgetful days & un-planned guest arriving days.

Or perhaps you need no reasons to make it because it's tasty & quick and that makes it just so tempting.

Pop the cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) open & cook them with the masala. The rich, dark, slightly tangy sauce, the perfectly soft beans in the curry makes it such a hearty meal, any time any day!

Even if you don't own an Instant Pot no worries I've included the stove-top method too.

Check out these super easy & delicious Instant Pot Recipes From Foodies Terminal.

Instant Pot Chana Masala with Canned Chickpeas Ingredients

To make today's Instant Pot Chana Masala I used a few ingredients which are not very handy if you don't own a well stocked pantry. But, you can totally skip those few ingredients if you want to. 

Skipping them won't alter the taste of this Chana Masala recipe for Chapathi remarkably, what you may notice is the change in color of the curry sauce.

Instead of a darker curry sauce you'll end up with red sauce that also looks quiet as tempting. Here's what you'll need:

• Canned Beans (Garbanzo beans also known as chickpeas)
• For tempering: Whole garam masalas (cloves, black cardamom, green cardamom, cinnamon), whole cumin seeds.
• For the curry sauce: Tomato puree, onion + pomegranate seeds paste, ginger garlic paste.
• Spices: Paprika powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, Chana masala (store-bought).
• Extra garnishes: Ginger, Carom seeds (ajwain), green chilies.

Pro Tip: Skip these if you want to: Pomegranate seeds, whole garam masalas (swap it with powder, add the powder along with the other powdered spices), ginger, carom seeds, green chilies. And if you want to use every mentioned ingredient you may buy them from any Indian Grocery store at economical price.

2 Tips to make the best Instant Pot Chana Masala 

1. Sauteing is the Key: For a gorgeous color of the gravy & deliciousness you need to saute the onion paste and the ginger garlic paste until the oil oozing state is reached & the raw aroma completely disappears.
2. Pomegranate seeds or a tea bag = Darker color gravy: If you prefer a darker color gravy use either of them. In today's recipe I use dried pomegranate seeds. It made the gravy darker & tangy. You may skip pomegranate seeds & add one tea bag (black tea) after adding the canned chickpeas & water. After the pressure cooking is done fish out the tea bag & discard.

Pro Tip: Skipping both the pomegranate seeds & the tea bag won't alter the taste of the Chana masala recipe for Chapathi. You'll notice a change in color of the curry and end up with a richer reddish curry sauce instead of a darker one. You may totally skip both if you want to.

How to make Chana Masala in Instant Pot ? Step By Step

Steps in words below the pictures

Chana Masala recipe for chapathi is a very straight forward and easy recipe to make anytime.

A little bit of sauteing, a little bit of dumping and mixing and pressure cooking that's all we are going to do today.

Prep your Instant Pot by pressing the SAUTE button, set it at LOW.

Temper the whole spices, allow them to sizzle for a few seconds. Than dump the onion paste. Saute for 2 mins. 

Bring the settings from LOW to NORMAL by pressing the SAUTE button. We'll do the rest of the sauteing at NORMAL.

Add the ginger garlic paste & saute together to kill that raw aroma from the pastes. It should take you about 3-4 mins.

Dump the spices, mix and dump the tomato puree & canned chickpeas and give everything a good mix.

Pro Tip: LOW setting is apt for the onion paste & will prevent it from getting burnt & ruining your whole batch of Chana masala with a bitter taste! That extra effort of sauteing for a few mins will enhance the taste of the Chana Masala by manifold.

It's time to dump those little extras, though you may totally skip adding them. 

Add the ginger juliennes + the carom seeds + warm water. Mix.

Press CANCEL to cancel the SAUTE mode.

Close the lid of the IP. Seal the Valve. Press the PRESSURE COOK button and set it at NORMAL for 7 mins.

After 7 mins as you hear the beeping noise from the IP. Do a NPR for at least 5 mins. This will ensure a gorgeous colored Instant Pot Chole recipe.

Or, if you are in a rush do a QPR. No problem with that too.

Serve hot with Poori, Chapati, Tortilla, Naan, couscous or rice. Poori & Chapati works for us always.

Pro Tip: While Sauteing if you find that the masala is sticking to the bottom of the pot, just sprinkle some water and carry on. Don't be tempted to add more oil to quicken the process. Greasy food doesn't taste better always.

Chana Masala recipe for Chapati - Stove top method

Follow the same recipe. Instead of using an Instant Pot use a regular pressure cooker.

Release the onion paste to the oil at low flame, so that the onion doesn't burn and leave a bitter taste to the Punjabi Chole recipe.

Do the rest of the sauteing at medium flame. Saute all the masalas along with the onion & ginger garlic paste until the raw smell completely disappears and oil starts to ooze out.

Add the Chole and mix everything well. Throw in some ginger julienne & carom seeds.  Add warm water and pressure cook for 4 whistles over medium heat.

Serve hot.

Pro Tip: You may skip adding the ginger julienne & the carom seeds along with the chole before pressure cooking. Instead heat up a small wok, add 1 tbsp ghee, when hot add the ginger julienne & the carom seeds, allow them to sizzle for a few seconds. Add this to the Instant Pot Punjabi Chole recipe after the pressure cooking is done. 

Instant Pot Chana Masala with Canned Chickpeas - FAQs

What is Chana Masala?

Chana Masala is an Indian curry that's made with garbanzo beans or chickpeas that's cooked in an onion, tomato based curry sauce & flavored with a blend of aromatic spices.

Chana Masala also popularly known as Punjabi chole is best served with Bhatura, chapati, Naan, rice, potato patties.

Is Chana Masala Vegan?

Chana Masala is Vegan if there is no use of Ghee or any other dairy product. For instance, todays recipe of Instant Pot Chana Masala for Chapatis is totally Vegan.

Is Chana Masala Gluten Free?

Yes, chana Masala is gluten free. If you are on a gluten free diet just don't forget to serve it with gluten free accompaniments.

Where to buy Chana Masala powder?

You can buy Chana Masala Powder in any Indian grocery store or from Amazon.

Can Chana Masala be frozen?

Yes, Chana Masala is freezer friendly and keeps good for 1.5 months in the freezer when stored well in freezer safe bags or airtight freezer friendly containers.

You can also store it in the fridge for 3 days in an air tight container. Re-heat in microwave oven and serve hot.

What can you serve with Chana Masala?

Chana Masala tastes good when served with Bhatura, Chapathi, Naan, Poori, Rice, Potato Patties.

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