Restaurant Style Channa Masala / Channa Masala Recipe

Chickpeas/Channa is my only favorite legume and i love this chickpeas in any form, that too Channa Masala is my most favorite side dish recipe. I learned this Restaurant Style Channa Masala from my Neighbor, who was a catering student. Not only channa she also shared me the recipes for basic onion tomato gravy for any side dish recipes, Chinese Hakka Noodles, Biryanis and few more. This Channa Masala recipe tastes exactly like the one served in Saravana Grandstyle Restaurant in my home town. This Channa Masala recipe is recipe is very special to me and there's also a short story behind it. 

This is the first recipe which I prepared for my hubby dear before marriage and even got a gift from him for the delicious recipe. Few months later, we went to Saravana Grandstyle for lunch that time he ordered Naan and this channa, after tasting it he said that mine was so good and yummy than the restaurant one. Those were golden days, now he will not open his mouth to appreciate its only my kids who will say "yummy" "super duper yummy" for each and every bite. Now coming to the recipe, unlike the normal curries this Channa Masala is prepared little different way and i have already posted Restaurant Style Aloo Gobi Masala with the same method. This channa masala requires raw onion and raw tomato paste, and it should be cooked in low-medium heat until the moisture dries up, this takes time to cook but worth to try it. Here you go...

Preparation Time : 20 minutes(including chickpeas cooking time)

Cooking Time : 35-40 minutes Cuisine : Indian

Category : Side dish Serves   4

Ingredients

1. Channa/Garbanzo beans    1 and 1/2 cup(cooked)
2. Onion      2 medium(white or yellow onions)
3. Tomato     3 medium
4. Chilli powder 1 tsp
5. Garam masala or Channa masala powder     2 tsp*
6. Sugar 1/4 tsp
7. Tomato Ketchup 1 tbsp or less.
8. Fennel seeds   1/2 tsp** 
9. Cilantro    a handful(finely chopped)
10. Oil  5-6 tbsp
11. Salt to taste

Method

• Take about 1/4 cup of cooked channa/chickpeas and put in a blender and grind coarsely and keep aside.
• Grind onion and tomatoes separately to a smooth paste and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a non stick kadai, add fennel seeds and allow to splutter and then add onion paste and
• saute in low-medium heat till the raw smell leaves.(app. 8-10 minutes).

• Then add the tomato paste and cook till oil starts leaving the sides of the kadai. (in medium heat)
• After that add, coarsely ground channa and mix well and add chilli and garam masala powder stir fry
• for a minute.

• Then add tomato ketchup and saute for a minute.
• Now add the cooked channa n saute for a minute and add enough water, enough salt and mix everything well and bring the channa masala mixutre to boil.

• Once it starts boiling add sugar and stir well and simmer till the oil from the masala starts leaving
• the kadai.
• Lastly add handful of finely chopped cilantro and mix well.
• That’s it...Delicious Channa Masala ready to serve. Just before serving, add some finely chopped red onions, cilantro and ginger juliennes to channa masala and serve with Rotis/Naan.

Also Checkout my Another version of Channa Masala / Chole Recipe For Batura.

Notes:

*Instead of 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, use 1/4 tsp Fennel and 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
**If you don't have Channa Masala Powder, skip it and use only 2 tsp Garam Masala powder. Or 1 tsp each combo should also works fine.

I used dried chickpeas - soaked it overnight and pressure cooked with enough water to immerse channa, then added a tiny pinch of turmeric powder and baking soda and pressure cooked for 3 whistles.

Don't use red onions for this curry since it is strong in flavor it took more time to cook n also your curry will be strong onion flavored.
Use Roma or Bangalore tomatoes or less sour n seeds variety for this curry.
Use the cooked channa water to the curry instead of adding plain water.
Pinch of orange food color can also be added to get attractive color or add 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder like I did.
I used MTR channa masla powder for this curry..
Use Non-stick or heavy bottom Kadai to prevent burnt of onion-tomato paste. Its must to cook the onion, tomato paste in low-medium heat, if onion get burnt then the whole curry will be spoiled.